Via Asia Times, a look at Beijing’s hope to connect a Taliban-led Afghanistan with neighboring Pakistan overlooks rising and lethal resistance to the scheme: When suspected militants killed nine Chinese nationals in a blast that sent a bus plunging into a high mountain ravine in northern Pakistan, it marked the latest in a rising string of […]
Read more »Via The Brussels Times, a report on how – as Central Asian and Uzbekistan’s Silk Road takes shape – political risks must be addressed to attract foreign investors New initiatives are currently being taken to develop the central Asian economies along the former ancient silk road. Better infrastructure would of course accelerate trade, attract foreign capital […]
Read more »Via Belt and Road News, an interesting article on Xinjiang: Among a display of satin brocades now worn with age, a 2,200-year-old silk arm protector lies quietly in a dusky glass case in Xinjiang Museum. It is a dapple of indigo and gold, with eight Chinese characters woven in perfect harmony. Literally meaning “Five stars […]
Read more »Via South China Morning Press, an article on China’s Global Energy Internet plan: Ever since President Xi Jinping pitched the idea of a “global energy internet” to the United Nations six years ago, China has been trying to persuade the world to build the high-voltage highways that would form its backbone. That plan to wrap […]
Read more »Via Vice, a report on Cuba’s efforts to make its own smartphone: The Cuban government is gearing up to produce what almost every Cuban wants – unless it’s made in Cuba. A new smartphone. The project is part of Cuba’s attempt to catch up to the tech revolution — although on its singular terms. In […]
Read more »Via Oil Gas Daily, a report that Turkmenistan says its debt to China for its gas pipeline has been paid in full: Turkmenistan’s autocrat leader said that his country’s debts to China for a multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline and another gas project had been paid off “in full”, state media reported Saturday. China has invested billions in […]
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