It’s no secret that China is intent on influencing news narratives concerning its economic activity in Central Asia. To promote the Chinese view of developments, authorities staged an international conference, titled Hello, Silk Road, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in late July. The Uzbek outlet UzDaily reported that the gathering focused on fostering information cooperation among China and its Central Asian neighbors. Sponsored by the government-controlled China Internet Development Fund, roughly 200 media professionals from “over 20 countries,” but mostly China and Central Asia, attended the meeting. The UzDaily report quoted one of the Uzbek attendees, editor-in-chief of news website Podrobno.uz Andrei Teshayev, as saying: “The influence of information on all aspects of society is obvious, and it is growing every day, no longer just shaping the agenda in one single country, but erasing borders throughout the world. At the same time, it is important to understand that in the modern world, information is a commodity no less valuable than gold, oil or other resources.”
Kyrgyz officials and a consortium of power companies have reached a deal to build a major hydropower project, dubbed the Kazarman HPP cascade. Plans call for the construction of four hydroelectric power plants with a total capacity of 1,160 MW, the Kyrgyz government’s press service reports. Total cost of the project could reach $3 billion. Akylbek Japarov, the chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, hailed the agreement as “the largest in the history of the Kyrgyz Republic.” The consortium is led by several leading Chinese power companies, including PowerChina Northwest Engineering Corp. Ltd and China Railway 20th Bureau Group Co Ltd. An Australian firm, Green Gold Energy, is also participating in the consortium.
China is garnering goodwill in Kyrgyzstan with its Express Health initiative, providing free healthcare services to hundreds of Kyrgyzstan citizens. About 600 citizens will undergo eye operations to correct cataracts, according to Chinese government sources. Chinese oncology specialists, meanwhile, visited Kyrgyzstan in early July to help diagnose and treat Kyrgyz cancer patients. In late July, Kyrgyz Health Minister Gulnara Baatyrova offered thanks to China’s ambassador in Bishkek, Du Dewen, for the healthcare assistance, the embassy’s press service reported.
Source : Eurasia