China–Kyrgyzstan Business Ties Under Scrutiny: Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Ministry says about 61,000 work visas were issued in H1 2026, with roughly 60% for Chinese citizens, while nearly 7,000 Chinese firms and organizations have registered in the country over three years—fueling local concerns over jobs, land leases (up to 49 years), resources and sovereignty. Construction & Compliance: In Chui region, 25 construction sites were inspected and fines totaling over 1 million soms were imposed for urban planning and documentation violations. Heat, Power Strain & Outages: With temperatures above 40°C, NESK introduced temporary load-shedding; Bishkek and parts of Chui saw outages, and scheduled maintenance will also cut power in specific areas. Land & Investment Rules: President Sadyr Japarov reiterated that state land can’t be sold or pledged by foreigners; investors get long-term use rights, while buildings they finance can be used as collateral. Trade & Connectivity: Air China launched direct Beijing–Bishkek flights (3x weekly). Kyrgyzstan also moves to simplify business registration online via the Ministry of Justice. IMF on the Informal Economy: The IMF estimates about 71% of workers are in the informal sector, which is ~19% of GDP, driven by tax policy, labor market rigidity and limited access to finance. Sewing Industry Pressure: Kyrgyz garment firms report border delays with Russia and new import confirmation requirements that complicate shipments and marketplace operations. Water & Infrastructure Projects: An Islamic Development Bank-funded reservoir in Ton district will support irrigation for thousands of hectares, and work continues on the Nizhny-Chuy checkpoint to boost trade with Kazakhstan. Waste Management Upgrade: Bishkek launched a tender for 25 new waste sorting sites.