Kyrgyzstan signs deal with Chinese firm to build ‘Asman’ city

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (MNTV) — Kyrgyzstan’s National Investment Agency has signed a memorandum of understanding with China Construction Company to advance the development of “Asman,” or “Sky City,” a major urban project planned on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul.

The agreement, signed on October 17 between National Investment Agency Director Ravshanbek Sabirov and Cao Xiangming, General Director for International Projects at the China Construction Design Institute, follows a series of negotiations held in Shanghai and Beijing.

According to officials, the memorandum establishes a framework for cooperation in investment, infrastructure, and construction, with an emphasis on attracting advanced technologies and foreign capital to support the multi-billion-dollar initiative.

First unveiled in 2021, Asman City is envisioned as an ecological and modern urban hub featuring smart infrastructure, sustainable energy systems, and a full range of civic amenities. A state directorate was initially created to manage the project, later transferred under the authority of the Presidential Administration.

President Sadyr Japarov attended the project’s groundbreaking ceremony on June 30, 2023, but construction was temporarily halted after revisions to the original design. During a visit to Issyk-Kul earlier this year, Japarov confirmed that work would soon resume.

The Ministry of Economy has estimated the project’s total cost at approximately $20 billion. Officials say a South Korean company has already pledged $1 billion toward its financing, with plans to accommodate up to 500,000 residents once completed.