Isn't Xi lovely?: China’s strategic spend in Central Asia

Beijing pledged cash and connectivity at the China–Central Asia summit, while the region's presidents reached for buzzwords and bonhomie.

Xi Jinping at the Central Asia-China summit in Astana.

China summits are a smorgasbord.

Part infrastructure expo, part values manifesto, part investment pitch. All served in a single sitting.

But cold hard cash is the dominant dish. There is so much of it being bandied around.

Summoning his inner Oprah, Chinese leader Xi Jinping doled some out in his speech…