Goods flow past Russia from China to Europe via the trans-Caspian route. Kazakhstan now wants to increase the capacity of the trade route by dredging the Caspian Sea.
By Emily Kossak
For the time being, Beijing will not challenge Russia's growing influence in Kazakhstan. This is because the goals of the two superpowers in Central Asia intersect. Both nations seek an end to the unrest in Kazakhstan and aim for growth in the unstable region above all else. Neither wants popular uprisings – and presumably, both are siding in the internal power struggle with Nursultan Nazarbayev, the nation's leader for life.
By Frank Sieren
This week, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit is taking place in Tajikistan – largely unnoticed by the West. That is a mistake. After all, a new power is forming here. And China is playing a key role.
By Michael Radunski
