Kazakhstan looks west after pipeline hit, avoiding China dependency
WASHINGTON -- The numbers tell the story. When a Ukrainian drone strike crippled the Caspian Pipeline Consortium pipeline through Russia -- Kazakhstan's main export artery -- Astana didn't turn to China to fill the gap.
Instead, it pivoted west, toward the Middle Corridor through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, hoping to keep crude flowing to Europe.
The workaround has been painfully limited: Bloomberg data shows Kazakhstan managed to reroute only about 25,000 barrels a day in January, while CPC flows plunged by roughly 440,000 barrels.
But Astana is determined to diversify its routes. Its reluctance to deepen dependence on China is creating space not only for the Middle Corridor but also for President Donald Trump, who has taken a keen interest in the east-west network.
美国《纽约时报》(The New York Times)本周二披露,在2023年7月,美国中央情报局(CIA)与国家情报总监办公室曾在矽谷一间安全简报室,向包括苹果执行长库克(Tim Cook)、英伟达执行长黄仁勋(Jensen Huang)、超微执行长苏姿丰(Lisa Su)等科技巨头高层进行机密简报,警告中国军事部署显示,北京可能在2027年前后对台动手。会后,库克私下坦言,他如今睡觉时“睁着一只眼”。