Kyrgyz President: Anti-China sentiment fueled by forces opposing infrastructure projects

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has asserted that both foreign and domestic actors are deliberately inflaming anti-China sentiments within Kyrgyzstan. In an interview, Japarov suggested these sentiments are strategically amplified to obstruct key infrastructure projects, notably the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.

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All states want to work with China, want to get investment from them, bring their technologies. And we, being neighbors, cannot take advantage of this.

Responding to concerns about the increasing number of Chinese citizens in Kyrgyzstan, Japarov noted that workers from various countries, including Kyrgyz nationals, are employed in the country. He pointed out that while the foreign labor quota has increased, it accommodates workers from multiple nations, not solely China. Japarov defended China's role, highlighting the benefits Kyrgyzstan has received from their cooperation.

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What harm have we seen from China? Take, for example, the garbage plant in Bishkek. For a hundred years, if I'm not mistaken, haven't we been smoking since Bishkek appeared? Now we are getting rid of this smoke, getting rid of garbage, and even getting energy.

As an example, Japarov cited the waste incineration plant in Bishkek, a project Kyrgyzstan could not have undertaken alone. He emphasized that Chinese specialists not only built the facility but also trained local workers, ensuring Kyrgyzstan retains full control. "Don't we leave 100 percent for ourselves and manage it ourselves?" he asked, underscoring the collaborative nature and eventual local ownership of such projects.

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We are a hundred years behind China. Let's at least catch up in the next 20 years.

Japarov urged Kyrgyzstan to embrace the opportunities presented by its relationship with China, noting that many countries actively seek Chinese investment and technology. He specifically addressed the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, warning that its failure to materialize would be a significant missed opportunity for Kyrgyzstan to become a vital transit country. "We are a hundred years behind China. Let's at least catch up in the next 20 years," Japarov stated, advocating for a pragmatic approach to international cooperation.

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If the railway is not completed, every Kyrgyz citizen will regret it, because...