China Road and Bridge Corporation has been modernizing Kyrgyzstan’s largest airport, Manas International Airport in Bishkek, since April. It will also upgrade the country’s second-largest airport in Osh and plans to build a completely new airport in Jalal-Abad within two years. The most interesting part is that this is being done at China’s own expense, as reported by Asia Today.
«By the end of 2025, we plan to completely replace and upgrade the runway, apron and lighting equipment at Manas International Airport,» said Manasbek Samidinov, CEO of Airports of Kyrgyzstan JSC, which manages the airport.
According to Kalnur Ormushev, a well-known expert in Kyrgyzstan, these expenses won’t place any serious burden on China’s budget. On the contrary, he said, they serve as a kind of «monetary bloodletting,» helping the Chinese economy avoid overheating.
For an economic giant like China, Ormushev noted, even a small country like Kyrgyzstan matters in the struggle for global leadership.
«China is actively fighting for its place under the economic, political and military sun in the Asia-Pacific region, competing with countries like Japan and Australia. It has tense relations with Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, the United States and Canada. Naturally, China needs to maintain calm in its rear. It wants countries and people who are not just loyal, but genuinely friendly, and friendship is often built on obligations. We will be obliged to them; we will be grateful for this support,» Ormushev said.
This strategy appears to be working well. The Chinese plan to carry out the same modernization project at Osh International Airport once all the work in Bishkek is completed.
Moreover, last month, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov laid a ceremonial capsule to mark the start of construction on a new international airport in Jalal-Abad, which is being built by China Construction Fifth Engineering Division Corp., another major Chinese company.
The new airport is expected to accommodate long-haul aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320/A321. Under the contract, the Chinese are obligated to complete the $200 million project within two years. However, the investment conditions are still under negotiation.
According to Ormushev, with a population of just 7 million, Kyrgyzstan should not reject foreign investment. The key, he said, is to use it wisely — to navigate geopolitical risks and avoid becoming dependent on any one power.
«The degree of freedom, first and foremost, depends not on who invests in your country, but on your domestic politics and economy. There’s a good example in tiny Singapore — and in several other countries — that have attracted foreign investment while maintaining independence. Being independent doesn’t mean refusing investment,» Ormushev said.
The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, which President Xi Jinping has promoted for the past 12 years, aims to strengthen land and sea routes connecting China to Europe. Kyrgyzstan’s international airports are set to become another piece of this vast puzzle.
