• Why is the Kyrgyz refinery failing?
  • Some see the refinery’s problems as being linked to competition for the energy market between China and Russia. Russian energy giant Gazprom traditionally dominates the fuel market in Kyrgyzstan, while several prominent Kyrgyz politicians have businesses importing fuel from there.
  • Is the Zhongda oil refinery a paragon of opacity?
  • An oil refinery at night. Photo by Gregg Tavares. CC BY 2.0 (Flickr) The Zhongda oil refinery, one of China¡¯s largest investments in Kyrgyzstan, typifies the jobs versus pollution debate that surrounds Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) vision. The refinery is a paragon of opacity.
  • What is the dirtiest factory in Kyrgyzstan?
  • The dirtiest factory in Kyrgyzstan is the Chinese refinery Zhongda in Kara-Balta. Chinese media coverage skims over controversies
  • Where is Kyrgyzstan’s capital?
  • Bishkek is Kyrgyzstan’s capital, where the political decisions are made. Presidents and lawmakers are often accused of taking the money from investments while leaving local communities to sort out their issues with foreign companies alone.