Weekly News Roundup: Dispatches from the Silk Road Economic Belt

China, Kyrgyzstan to tap cooperation potential under comprehensive strategic partnership

On 7 June China and Kyrgyzstan vowed to explore more cooperation potential under their newly-established comprehensive strategic partnership. The pledge was made by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and visiting Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov at Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing. Xinhua [CN*] China's top legislator LI Zhanshu meets with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov Xinhua

Interview: CSTO head eyes closer partnership with SCO

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is looking forward to closer ties with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), said CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov. "The CSTO takes a serious approach to the development of effective and mutually beneficial cooperation with the SCO. We are always open to filling it with practical matters," Khachaturov told Chinese reporters in a recent interview. (Xinhua)

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization champions a new model of expanded regional cooperation
The SCO came into being against a challenging international backdrop in the aftermath of the Cold War. It was created as a new mechanism to meet the need of countries in the region to maintain stability, and to promote shared development. (Bloomberg)

Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin hail ‘all-time high’ in ties, sign US$3 billion of nuclear deals

The two countries also signed a raft of deals, including for nuclear cooperation projects totalling 20 billion yuan (US$3.13 billion) and a US $1 billion industrial investment fund. (Scmp)

Putin's China trip: High-speed train, ice hockey, local snacks

Putin and Xi took high speed train to Tianjin accompanied by CEOs of Russian and Chinese railway corporations, discussed Moscow-Kazan and using China’s technology&money to build/upgrade transit routes to Europe via Russia and Central Asia. (Ecns)

Chinese region of Tibet to build three more airports: Xinhua
The Chinese region of Tibet is planning to build three new airports to promote tourism and economic growth, bringing the total of civil airports in the far west region to eight, the official Xinhua news agency said on Saturday. (Reuters)

Rosatom deal to build China power units worth $3.6 billion: China National Nuclear
China National Nuclear Power Co Ltd said on Sunday that two deals signed with Russian state nuclear company Rosatom for the construction of four nuclear power units in China were worth a combined $3.62 billion.Rosatom said on Friday it would construct two units each at the Xudabao and Tianwan nuclear plants. (Reuters)

India refuses to endorse China's 'One Belt, One Road' initiative
Prime Minister Modi, speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, suggested that the BRI project does not adequately respect the 'sovereignty and territorial integrity' of all nations involved (Taiwan News)

China’s Belt and Road plans dismay Pakistan’s poorest province
For Pakistan, this is an enormous investment — equal to 20 per cent of the whole country’s GDP — and the government has claimed it will bring wealth and development to Balochistan and change the fortunes of its people. But the protests by children in Gwadar show that it is not universally popular. (FT)


CENTRAL ASIA 

Turkmenistan's president effects radical switch-around of top security officials
The head of Turkmenistan’s security services has been fired and substituted by the head of the army in a sweeping but mysterious reshuffle of top-level security officials.
Turkmenistan’s state news agency reported on June 13 that Dovrangeldy Bayramov was also demoted from colonel to major. All that was given by way of an explanation for the dismissal was that Bayramov, who had held the post since April 2016, had committed “serious shortcomings in his work.” (Eurasianet)

How Singapore, Astana and St Petersburg preview a new world order

Ahead of the crucial Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Qingdao this coming weekend, three other recent events have offered clues on how the new world order is coming about. (Asia Times)