Weekly News Roundup: Dispatches from the Silk Road Economic Belt

China's armed police hold anti-terror exercise in Xinjiang

China's armed police on Tuesday completed an anti-terror exercise in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The exercise, held simultaneously in several locations including Aksu, Kashgar, Urumqi and Yili over the past three and half days, included more than 10,000 people, according to a military statement. The exercise examined the force's ability to carry out missions in complicated environments such as in deserts, plateaus and mountainous regions, as well as nighttime operations, it said. (global times)

Caspian Sea is China's best bet for Belt and Road

Kazakhstan-to-Greece route aligns Beijing's land and maritime strategies (NIKKEI)

Project with Ukraine to bolster nation's aircraft engine capability

China is working with Ukraine on an industrial park to build aircraft engines, a joint venture expected to extensively boost China's research, development and production capabilities in that area, according to project insiders. Chongqing Skyrizon Aero-Propulsion Industrial Park, which broke ground in late 2015, will cover 5 square kilometers in the Chongqing Liangjiang New Area, and involves an nvestment of 20 billion yuan ($3.04 billion). (China Daily)

China’s new campaign to instil official historical narrative in Xinjiang
China’s far western Xinjiang is set to roll out an ideological campaign to instil the official Communist Party narrative of the region’s history in its officials, religious leaders and the masses. Yu Zhengsheng, the party’s fourth-ranking official who is in charge of religion and ethnic minorities, presided at a high-level meeting in Beijing this week to address “several historical issues” regarding the restive region, official news agency Xinhua reported. (scmp)

China quickens work on Pakistan utility in area claimed by India
China is racing to finish one of the biggest hydro-power projects in Pakistan ahead of schedule, yet its location in the long-contested region of Kashmir will draw ire from India. India-China relations at a low following territorial dispute. Bloomberg

Opaque Chinese oil group makes clear gains in former Soviet bloc
A little-known company linked to the People’s Liberation Army has emerged as the leading acquirer of assets in the former Soviet bloc among China’s private companies, strengthening ties between Beijing and Moscow. The rise of Shanghai-based CEFC China Energy has unfolded in sync with China’s economic push into central Asia and eastern Europe amid growing co-operation with Russia in matters ranging from disputed Asian islands to the Syrian conflict. (FT)

New rail routes between China and Europe will change trade patterns

ASTANA in Kazakhstan is one of the world’s most remote capitals, surrounded by thousands of kilometres of empty steppe. This summer Astana attempted to launch itself onto the global stage by hosting the World Expo, which closed on September 10th and underwhelmed many attendees. But there are other ways to have an impact. On the city’s north side, away from the Expo’s exhibits, a series of diesel trains, each pulling dozens of containers, roll through the old railway station. Most are heading from China to Europe. (The Economist)

Highway in Tibet opens South Asia to China

The Tibet highway between Xigaze airport and Xigaze city center officially opened to the public on Friday, a short section linking the national highway to the Nepal border which experts said will enable China to forge a route into South Asia in both economic and defense terms.The 40.4-kilometer highway will shorten the journey from an hour to 30 minutes between the dual-use civil and military airport and Tibet's second-largest city, the Tibet Financial Daily reported Sunday. (People's Daly)

Chinese conglomerate CEFC plans investment in Georgia industrial zone

Chinese conglomerate CEFC China Energy said it plans to invest in a free industrial zone in Poti, Georgia, on the Black Sea, as part of a plan to diversify its overseas investments, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.The Chinese firm will take a stake in the industrial zone, which will be engaged in manufacturing, trading and logistics as well as financial services, CEFC said, without giving any details on the size of its investment. (Reuters)

CENTRAL AND SOUTH ASIA

India’s bullet train

The US$17 billion Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project comes at a time when critics say the money could have gone towards improving basic safety and services, E Jaya Kumar writes. Rail service is critical to the Indian economy and is considered a political hot potato. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe jointly laid the foundation for the project at Sabarmati station in Ahmedabad on Thursday. The inauguration of the hugely expensive project comes at a time when the railways are reeling under a spate of accidents, a situation exacerbated by terrorism fears. (Asia Times)

Russia’s Balancing Strategy in South Asia
Russia’s ability to maintain cordial security partnerships with both India and Pakistan is highly beneficial for its broader geopolitical aspirations. (Diplomat)

Uzbek community in south of Kyrgyzstan is again tool for manipulating elections

The President's Office of Kyrgyzstan gave direct instructions to local officials in Osh and Jalal-Abad regions of the country to use ethnic Uzbeks for falsifications in presidential elections on 15 October this year. Fergana learned about this from its informed sources.The Uzbek community of Kyrgyzstan feels depressed since the summer of 2010 when an ethnic conflict erupted in the south of the republic. Subsequently, the Uzbek minority, compactly residing in the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan, has already become an instrument for falsifying elections in favour of a candidate from the party of power. (Fergana News)

Kyrgyzstan protests over Kazakh 'support' for opposition candidate

Kyrgyzstan’s government officially protested on Wednesday after Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev met with Kyrgyz opposition presidential candidate Omurbek Babanov, saying its neighbour was interfering in its Oct. 15 election.Nazarbayev’s office said on Tuesday he had met Babanov, a leader of the Kyrgyz opposition Respublika-Ata Zhurt party, in Kazakhstan, and expressed readiness to work “with a new president in whom the Kyrgyz people will put their trust”. (Reuters)