With Central Asia rising, John Lee’s visit was well timed

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee's recent visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Central Asia's two largest economies, is considered well-timed due to the region's growing strategic importance. Central Asia, comprising Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan (C5), is at the core of China's Belt and Road Initiative and has been described as China's "inadvertent empire." This region was historically identified by Halford Mackinder in 1904 as the "heartland" of the "world island," a concept suggesting control over this area could lead to global dominance. While this theory was largely disproven for over a century, the article suggests this may be changing, underscoring the significance of Lee's diplomatic mission.