Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Chinese are coming . . . to Central Asia. Economic (growing energy demands) and political factors (regional stability) are pushing China to establish closer relations with the former Soviet Central Asian Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.

Internal security reasons are also playing a prominent role in Beijing's Central Asian policy. The Chinese want to avoid anything that might encourage Uigur Muslim separatism in oil-rich border region of Xinjiang. Hence, the central government has pursued for decades a persecutory policy towards the Uigurs that includes prison, suppression of the their language an culture and mass immigration of ethnic Han Chinese encouraged to settle through financial and professional incentives.

Uigur communities—in some areas they are the majority—also live in neighbouring states.

The region situation was such that several countries, including China, set up in 1996 the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), also known as the Shanghai group, to promote regional trade and fight the three evils—extremism, terrorism and fundamentalism—that were emerging in the wake of the civil war in Tajikistan, the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, Islamic terrorist attacks in Xinjiang and the rise of Islamic fundamentalist groups in Uzbekistan

Four of the five Central Asia Republics (Turkmenistan is not a member) and Russia are also in the SCO, which is increasingly become an important diplomatic forum. India has for instance asked to join.

For China, the region is increasingly important to satisfy its energy needs. It is actively involved in establishing a new 'Silk Road', a network of railway lines and pipelines that would deliver oil and gas to from the mountains of Central Asia and the Caspian Sea to Xinjiang. Additionally, such a network would be useful to develop closer ties to Iran and Arab countries as well as faraway Europe.

The Caspian Sea region is rich in oil, gas, and mineral ores but the countries of Central Asia lack the financial wherewithal and technical expertise as well infrastructure necessary free them from heavy reliance on Russia's transportation networks.

The Chinese also view with alarm the military presence of extra-regional powers in the region. In addition to Russia, the US has in fact set up military bases in some Central Asian countries and has been involved in the Afghan war since 9/11.

Finally, Central Asia represents growing markets for Chinese goods, from technology and technical services to food, raw materials and finished products.

In addition to the US and Russia, the region has attracted India and many European countries, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan (for shared religious ties), Turkey and Iran (for shared cultural ties) as well as Japan and South Korea.

China has especially good relations with Kazakhstan. According to figures released by the Kazakh Embassy in Beijing, Sino-Kazakh trade was US$ 3.29 billion in 2003, up 68.1 per cent over the previous years and is expected to reach US$ 5 billion in 2010.

For the Kazakh government, the economic and diplomatic benefits generated by the Chinese presence are welcome, especially after it had a falling out with the US in the wake of "Kazakhgate" scandal—Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and other members of his government are said to have stashed away some US$ 78 million in Swiss bank accounts.

After Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Kazakhstan in June 2003, top levels government visits have become frequent.

Currently, a 3,000 km oil pipeline is being constructed that will eventually link the Kazakh city of Atasu to Xinjiang. (PB)