中国の中央アジアコネクション

中国の胡錦濤国家主席とトルクメニスタンのベルドイムハメドフ大統領は２３日、北京で会談し、中国への天然ガス供給を大幅に増強する文書に調印した。南シナ海問題など東アジアで孤立感を強める中国はエネルギー取引で相互依存関係にある中央アジアとの連携を強化。勢力圏を「西」に広げ、対中包囲網の回避を狙う。

世界４位の天然ガス埋蔵量を持つトルクメニスタンは、欧州向けだけでなく、アフガニスタン、パキスタン、インドにつなぐ「TAPI」パイプライン構想を持つ。中国としては早めにトルクメニスタンへの関与を強め、ガスを確保しておきたい考えだ。

中国は他の中央アジア諸国への接近も強めている。カザフスタンとは国境の町ホルゴスに共同で自由貿易特区を設定、１２月１日に本格稼働の式典を開く。査証なしでヒト・モノ・カネの移動を可能にする試みだ。日経より。

"A Tale of Two Ports:Chinese-Indian Rivalry Grows in the Arabian Sea" from Jakarta Globe

"Sino-Indian rivalry in the Indian Ocean and India's naval cooperation with the United States draw the world's attention, but quietly, out of sight, a contest has been building in the Arabian Sea centered between two ports, one in Pakistan and the other in Iran. The first is backed by China, the second by India. The first, located in Gwadar, is intended to give China access to the Indian Ocean; the second, Chabahar, is supposed to connect India to Afghanistan and counter the first."

"Economically it will be in interest and benefit of China if it transports Afghani gold and copper to Beijing and international markets through Gwadar Port." from Daily Times

"U.S. brings Silk Road to India" from The Hindu

"TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project) is in actuality a Silk Road project connecting Central Asia to the West via Gwadar, which will make Pakistan the U.S.'s gateway to Central Asia."

"Chinese company waiting to mine at ancient Afghan ruins" from South China Morning Post

"It was another day on the rocky hillside, as archaeologists and labourers dug out statues of Buddha and excavated a sprawling 2,600-year-old monastery."


"The woman represent a Chinese company eager to develop the world's second-biggest unexploited copper mine, lying beneath the ruins."


"But Mes Aynak is caught between Afghanistan's hopes for the future and its history. Archaeologists are rushing to salvage what they can from a major religious site on the famed Silk Road connecting Asia and the Middle East. The ruins, including the monastery and domed shrines known as "stupas", are likely to be destroyed once work at the mine begins."


"Mes Aynak's religious sites and copper deposits have been bound together for centuries - "mes" means "copper" in the local Dari language. Throughout the site's history, artisanal miners have dug up copper to adorn statues and shrines."