Latest Articles about Economics
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China’s Growing Economic Power in Uzbekistan
Against the backdrop of the Russo-Ukrainian war and fluctuating relations between Kazakhstan and Russia, Uzbekistan is gaining strategic importance for China as a potential stable emerging market in Central Asia. As a result, Beijing has made more concerted efforts to expand its soft power throughout... MORE
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Xi Seeks to Reinvigorate Military-Civilian Integration
Introduction In a speech to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the People's Armed Police Force (PAP) delegation to the National People's Congress (NPC) on March 8, Chinese President and Central Military Commission Chairman Xi Jinping called for accelerating the development of "integrated national strategies... MORE
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China’s 2023 Defense Spending: Figures, Intentions and Concerns
Introduction In March, at the opening session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), the top legislature of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) announced an annual defense budget of roughly 1.55 trillion yuan (about $224.79 billion) for fiscal year 2023, which is a 7.2... MORE
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Kazakhstan Proposes Gas Pipeline Project Connecting Russia and China
Kazakhstan has recently proposed the building of a new international gas pipeline to Russia that would run through Kazakhstani territory and connect to China (Interfax, February 22; Astana Times, March 25). The new pipeline project has emerged as a vital need in delivering natural gas... MORE
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Moscow Wants Russian Society to Pay for War in Ukraine (Part One)
Despite the Russian ruling elite’s optimism about the Russian economy “stepping into a positive trajectory of growth” (RIA Novosti, February 28), the real state of affairs in economic development may not be as bright as the Russian authorities portray. Despite propaganda, Russia`s economic troubles—caused by... MORE
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Russia’s Ongoing Impact in Latin America
Russia’s war against Ukraine has diverted observers’ attention away from its policies in Latin America. While the blockade of the Black Sea and ensuing weaponization of both Russian and Ukrainian exports has triggered significant attention to, in and around great-power rivalries in Africa, nothing of... MORE
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Russia Faces Serious Problems in Developing North-South Trade Corridor via Caspian Sea
Moscow had counted on the expansion of its north-south trade via the Caspian Sea to help end-run Western sanctions (Casp-geo.ru, August 3, 2022); however, the sanctions regime, which led the Russian government to seek to expand the capacity of this route in the first place,... MORE
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China Unveils ‘Grandiose Plan’ for Central Asia
In the three decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation and China have pursued divergent interests in post-Soviet Central Asia, as Moscow seeks to retain its influence even as Beijing’s “soft power” grows, underpinned by its dynamic economy. In a recent... MORE
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Spring 2023 Outlook for Russian Arms Manufacturing
Moscow continues its struggle in trying to increase production rates for its arms manufacturers and in restoring the storage of arms lost after over 13 months of fighting against Ukraine. The manufacturing output index for sectors related to the Russian defense industry from January to... MORE
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Lukashenka Addresses the Nation
On March 30, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka delivered his state of the nation address to the Belarusian parliament (Belta, March 31). The speech lasted over three hours and was followed by a more than 90-minute Q&A session. The four main themes of the Belarusian president’s... MORE