China's Mega Projects in Central Asia Are Back in Fashion

For most of the last two decades, China has been the most obvious source of foreign direct investment for the countries of Central Asia. But for the two poorest countries of the region -- Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan -- truly strategic investment from Beijing appeared to peak in the middle of that period. That was when Chinese companies agreed on deals to overhaul the transport and energy infrastructure in the two mountainous countries, build or modernize power plants in their respective capitals, and acquire lucrative mineral deposits along the way.…