SINO-AMERICAN RELATIONS IN CENTRAL ASIA

Abstract

The article examines the geopolitical situation in the Central Asian region, which has undergone a significant evolution, starting with the US-China trade war, the pandemic, the military conflict in Ukraine, and the tightening of sanctions against Russia. Emphasis is placed on the possible intersection of interests of prominent external players, such as the United States, Russia, and China in the region, as well as internal political changes taking place in the region's largest countries – Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The article notes that the states of Central Asia, declaring themselves ideologically homogeneous in terms of adherence to the ideals of democracy, have whole groups of contradictions: and different levels of economic development, national and state building do little to contribute to the spirit of sustainable and genuine cooperation among the countries of the region. The intractability of political leaders among themselves is fraught with the dominance of the interests of third countries in the region.

Existing publications on US-Central Asian and Sino-Central Asian relations tend to be limited to discussions of energy and security issues and mainly represent the views of authors from the US, Russia, and China. Accordingly, they do not consider possible risks for the region but are more concerned about the interests of the listed powers. The purpose of the article is to replenish the ranks of publications on the topic of geopolitical interests of world players in the region and risks for the region itself, expressing the point of view of Kazakhstani researchers. The article uses the method of sorting various data in studying foreign policy and economic relations of states. The work is based on a qualitative method of data analysis using a systematic approach and the principle of objectivity.