China’s Economic Interests in Central Asia

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Dr. Rabia Akhtar et al.

Abstract

The region of Central Asia is located at the intersection of East and Western world and has endured traditionally in interaction with the diverse cultures and market economies. It belongs to Mackinder’s “heartland” and is at the core of the “black hole” of power by Zbigniew Brzezinski’s equation. The CARs have remained to be a playground of power politics amid the British Empire and Russia, colloquially regarded as the “Great Game”, which came to end in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The geographic contiguity and interests of China with respect to economy and security in the region as well as the needs and dependent position of CARs drew them close together. The main reason for the involvement of China in the CARs seems to be an attempt to meet increasing requirement of energy supplies, as well as security apprehensions along the Western frontier and the internal security of Xingjian province. Central Asia provides China the possibility of a transportation route for overland trade between China and Europe, while China gives Central Asia a reliable access to the Pacific Ocean. This research aims to explore China’s Economic Interests in Central Asia under OBOR, for which China has started utilization of commercial methodologies for the CARs reliance on China, to be built in terms of energy supplies as well as collaboration in political and military perspectives. This mutual interdependence has enabled Beijing for establishing economic and political influence in the Republics of Central Asia, and that China may have to revitalize the degree of strategic collaboration with the CARs in order to further heighten assistance in economic and energy perspectives for ginning mutual advantages in a win/win situation.

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