Astana buys Beijing's talk of ethnic Kazakhs serving as a "living bridge."

Kazakhstan is an Asian country with an important role to play in the region, thanks to its geographical position and to the energy rich soil. Located in the heart of Central Asia, between two powerful neighbours with geopolitical ambitions, Russia and China, this young Republic is trying to maintain an equilibrium and defend its independence.

Astana International Exchange (AIX) is pleased to announce that trading in shares of JSC NAC “Kazatomprom” (Kazatomprom) and conditional trading of Global Depository Receipts of “Kazatomprom” has been commenced on its platform today.

It is not religious extremism that appears to unnerve Kazakhstan’s government, but dissent.

A million Muslims are being held in reeducation camps in northwestern China, where they are forced to learn Mandarin and sing communist songs. Ex-prisoners who have escaped across the border to Kazakhstan talk about their imprisonment.

The NGO Public Eye has accused Vitol, the second largest company in Switzerland, of using a discreet joint venture to conceal links to powerful elites in Kazakhstan, helping the company win lucrative contracts in the country.