GRATA International will hold a joint legal seminar in China with the international law firm Ashurst

Theme: "Powering the New Silk Road: Legal Frameworks, Bankability Issues, and Future Opportunities for Public-Private Partnerships in Greater Central Asia".

The region encompassing Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan is commonly termed “Greater Central Asia”, especially in energy and logistics discourse. These nations are connected by common cultural and historical roots and similar geopolitical and economic challenges arising from their pivotal location between Russia and China.

Since 1991, the countries of Greater Central Asia have relied on the ageing and deteriorating infrastructure inherited, directly or indirectly, from the Soviet Union. Consequently, nearly all public infrastructure in the region requires significant upgrading or expansion. In response, the authorities across these nations are now introducing fiscal incentives and optimising legal frameworks to catalyse private investment into their public infrastructure.

Furthermore, according to a 2025 analytical report by the Eurasian Development Bank, the energy and manufacturing sectors are currently the key drivers of Chinese investment growth in the Eurasian region. The report also highlights four sectors as the most promising for Chinese investors in the region: manufacturing (machinery, metallurgy, chemical industry, oil and gas refining), energy (including renewables), transport and logistics, and the agro-industrial complex.

The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, in its various forms, has recently emerged as a primary legal instrument for delivering infrastructure projects under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). As a specific type of investor-state contracts, PPPs can be utilised to implement BRI projects in all the aforementioned economic sectors across Greater Central Asia, as well as in:

• Transport infrastructure ( rail, roads, ports, airports ).
• Utilities ( power plants, district heating, electricity transmission, water and wastewater).
• Telecommunication infrastructure.
• Social infrastructure ( hospitals and schools ). 

This joint seminar by GRATA and Ashurst is designed to explore the vast, untapped opportunities for Chinese enterprises in BRI infrastructure projects across the Greater Central Asia region. We will delve into how PPPs can unlock these opportunities, examine the anticipated legal and bankability challenges, and outline practical strategies for Chinese investors and lenders to ensure the long-term sustainability of such projects. Special emphasis will be placed on Power and Renewable Energy PPPs.

Target Audience: Chinese investors (SOEs and POEs, renewables and conventional power developers), EPC contractors, financial institutions (multilateral, regional, policy and commercial etc), infrastructure funds and private equity investors, and other stakeholders interested in exploring the investment/financing landscape in the Greater Central Asia region.

Join experts from GRATA and Ashurst for insightful presentations and interactive Q&A.

Event details:

Date: 24 March 2026

Programme:

- Registration - 9:30 AM

- Seminar - 10:00 AM –12:00 PM

- Buffet lunch - 12:00–13:00 PM 

Venue: China World Hotel, 1 Jianguomenwai Avenue, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China (Exact room details will be shared with registered participants three days before the event.)

Additional information:

• The seminar is free of charge.
• It will be conducted in person and in English, with Chinese simultaneous interpretation.
• No online attendance will be available.
• Seats are limited – hurry to register! A maximum of 3 seats per company applies.
• The organisers reserve the right to confirm or reject any registration.

Kindly RSVP by March 18 via Registration Link.

We look forward to welcoming you to this important discussion!