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a view:China is pushing Russia out of Kazakhstan's uranium sector — Russia is gradually losing its influence in Central Asia. A Chinese state company has bought Rosatom's shares in a Kazakh uranium mining operation, and plans to acquire others. As the world’s largest uranium producer, Kazakhstan accounts for 43% of global supply. Traditionally, Russia controlled the transport routes for Kazakh uranium to Europe, but sanctions have pushed Astana to seek alternatives. China, the second-largest nuclear energy producer with the fastest-growing civilian reactor fleet, offers both demand and a sanctions-free transit route.In the vast Kazakh steppes, the power struggle between Moscow and Beijing is far from new. But with Russia diminished, Kazakhstan is choosing China—and the shift looks irreversible.Historically, as a former Soviet republic, Kazakhstan maintained close economic and security ties with Russia. Cooperation seemed stronger than ever when Russian-led CSTO troops intervened to suppress protests in Kazakhstan in January 2022.However, Russia’s war in Ukraine has drastically altered the balance. Sanctions have made Russia’s economy far less competitive, leaving China as the dominant economic partner. Last year, China overtook Russia as Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner, with two-way trade reaching $41 billion. Even Kazakhstan's brief role as a hub for sanctions avoidance wasn’t enough to bridge the growing economic gap.Russia has lost its credibility as a regional security provider. The war exposed Moscow’s military vulnerabilities, and other neighbors have grown wary of aligning too closely with a regime that harbors colonial ambitions. This has made cooperation with China far more appealing.The optics reflect this shift. At the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev personally welcomed Xi Jinping at the airport—an honor not extended to his long-time CSTO ally, Vladimir Putin. Tokayev, fluent in Chinese and a former diplomat to Beijing, clearly understands where Kazakhstan’s future lies.China and Kazakhstan are now expanding cooperation in critical sectors like logistics. Positioned as a key hub for China-Europe trade, Kazakhstan benefits from Beijing’s push to improve transit infrastructure across the region.The uranium deal underscores the scale of change. Russia’s economic and geopolitical decline has forced it to cede ground to China, potentially in exchange for Beijing’s tacit support of its war effort. Either way, China emerges as the clear winner—strengthening its hold over Central Asia while extracting economic and strategic benefits from Russia’s weakening position...I read a book once; "Apples are from Kazakhstan " * - and it's true. It was quite informative, but, from 2007, it's probably dated..Also a bunch of East Turkistan jihadists (Uighurs) turned out recently, having been honing their skills in Idlib. They appear itchy to have a crack at Uncle Xi's police state, and logically infiltration from Kazakhstan is the only viable route. Fun and games ahead?.*Travel writer Christopher Robbins relates a story by turns hilarious and grim as he finds Eminem-worship by a shrinking Aral Sea, hears the Kazakh John Lennon play in a dusty desert town, joins nomads hunting eagles, eats boiled sheep's head (a delicacy), and explores some of the most beautiful, unspoiled places on earth. Meet the country that gave the world apples, trousers, and possibly King Arthur
a view:
China is pushing Russia out of Kazakhstan's uranium sector — Russia is gradually losing its influence in Central Asia. A Chinese state company has bought Rosatom's shares in a Kazakh uranium mining operation, and plans to acquire others. As the world’s largest uranium producer, Kazakhstan accounts for 43% of global supply.
Traditionally, Russia controlled the transport routes for Kazakh uranium to Europe, but sanctions have pushed Astana to seek alternatives. China, the second-largest nuclear energy producer with the fastest-growing civilian reactor fleet, offers both demand and a sanctions-free transit route.
In the vast Kazakh steppes, the power struggle between Moscow and Beijing is far from new. But with Russia diminished, Kazakhstan is choosing China—and the shift looks irreversible.Historically, as a former Soviet republic, Kazakhstan maintained close economic and security ties with Russia. Cooperation seemed stronger than ever when Russian-led CSTO troops intervened to suppress protests in Kazakhstan in January 2022.
However, Russia’s war in Ukraine has drastically altered the balance. Sanctions have made Russia’s economy far less competitive, leaving China as the dominant economic partner. Last year, China overtook Russia as Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner, with two-way trade reaching $41 billion. Even Kazakhstan's brief role as a hub for sanctions avoidance wasn’t enough to bridge the growing economic gap.Russia has lost its credibility as a regional security provider. The war exposed Moscow’s military vulnerabilities, and other neighbors have grown wary of aligning too closely with a regime that harbors colonial ambitions. This has made cooperation with China far more appealing.
The optics reflect this shift. At the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev personally welcomed Xi Jinping at the airport—an honor not extended to his long-time CSTO ally, Vladimir Putin. Tokayev, fluent in Chinese and a former diplomat to Beijing, clearly understands where Kazakhstan’s future lies.
China and Kazakhstan are now expanding cooperation in critical sectors like logistics. Positioned as a key hub for China-Europe trade, Kazakhstan benefits from Beijing’s push to improve transit infrastructure across the region.The uranium deal underscores the scale of change. Russia’s economic and geopolitical decline has forced it to cede ground to China, potentially in exchange for Beijing’s tacit support of its war effort. Either way, China emerges as the clear winner—strengthening its hold over Central Asia while extracting economic and strategic benefits from Russia’s weakening position..
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I read a book once; "Apples are from Kazakhstan " * - and it's true. It was quite informative, but, from 2007, it's probably dated.
Also a bunch of East Turkistan jihadists (Uighurs) turned out recently, having been honing their skills in Idlib. They appear itchy to have a crack at Uncle Xi's police state, and logically infiltration from Kazakhstan is the only viable route. Fun and games ahead?
*Travel writer Christopher Robbins relates a story by turns hilarious and grim as he finds Eminem-worship by a shrinking Aral Sea, hears the Kazakh John Lennon play in a dusty desert town, joins nomads hunting eagles, eats boiled sheep's head (a delicacy), and explores some of the most beautiful, unspoiled places on earth. Meet the country that gave the world apples, trousers, and possibly King Arthur
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