scholarly journals Prospects for China’s BRI and Strategic Influence in the Post-COVID-19 Central Asia

2021 ◽  
pp. 329-345
Author(s):  
Furqan Khan
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Regional Economies ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Asian Economies ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Strategic Influence ◽  
The Impact

COVID-19 brings a momentous decline for global economic activities but its consequences for China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) remains imminent. Despite the economic shocks of the Pandemic, BRI remains a top priority for China which allows Beijing to improve regional connectivity and expand its economic outreach far off to Europe and the American shores. On the other hand, the Central Asian economies are hard hit by the pandemic with a reduced regional trade, decline in oil prices and its commodities, deep slump in remittances, and the slackening manufacturing ability. The revival of BRI and its immediate success is desirable to the COVID-19 hit Central Asian economies. This is because BRI has bound the region together in terms of infrastructural development where China, under the rubric of BRI, is spearheading major developmental projects, pouring investment in energy sector, offering debt, and improving bilateral trade with regional economies. For this reason, the Central Asian countries desire immediate revival of close economic cooperation which could links the economic fortunes of regional countries to Beijing and brings the BRI to the fore in regional priorities. The paper highlight the impact of COVID-19 over Central Asian economies, the significance BRI for the region; its geopolitical importance for China; and the growing Chinese influence in the post-Pandemic Central Asia using Bourdieu’s Theory of Symbolic Power. Finally, using qualitative content analysis, the paper argues that the economic impact of COVID-19 are short-term and of limited nature and it will only increase prospects for BRI in the post-Pandemic Central Asia with vital strategic utilities for China’s geopolitical profile in the region.

scholarly journals New Trends in Central Asian Connectivity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Indeo
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Land Bridge ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
National Economies ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Central Asian Republics

The main aim of this article is to evaluate the impact of the China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and of Uzbekistan's proactive regional policy to promote regional interconnectivity and to develop an “endogenous” cooperation mainly focused on the strategic interests of Central Asian countries. Within the BRI, Central Asia holds a strategic relevance, because this region is crossed by two of the six main BRI corridor projects – the China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor and the Eurasian land bridge – which will contribute to improve regional cooperation and connections among these countries. For Central Asian republics, BRI represents an attractive project benefiting of Chinese huge investments aimed to boost infrastructures and to develop national economies. Under Mirziyoyev's leadership, Uzbekistan has undertaken a proactive and constructive regional diplomacy in Central Asia, based on the improvement of relations and cooperation with other Central Asian republics, which has become a key priority of Tashkent's foreign policy.

scholarly journals Perspectives of China's Belt and Road Initiative in the post-epidemic period

2021 ◽  
Vol 136 (3) ◽  
pp. 50-56
Author(s):  
K. Maigeldinov ◽  
◽  
E. L. Nechayeva ◽  
M.K. Dyussembekova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Epidemic Period ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Further Development

The article presents the factors of influence of coronavirus on the «Belt and road» initiative and economic consequences for the participating countries from Central Asia. Systematic, comparative method and scenario method were selected as research methods. The coronavirus epidemic and the impending economic crisis will affect relations between Central Asian countries. They will not have a completely new reality, but existing trends will accelerate dramatically. In this situation, the economy and technological development of the Central Asian countries will become increasingly dependent on China, which will also affect other areas of cooperation. The article points out problematic issues in the further development of economic corridors, as well as the positive and negative consequences of the pandemic, the reasons for revising the pace and scale of infrastructure projects. Perspective directions of further development of this initiative in political and economic aspects are considered. The coronavirus and its consequences are likely to force the Central Asian countries and China to move closer together much more rapidly. The research objectives are to investigate how the crisis of the coronavirus affects the economy of China and its part, related to the initiative; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Central Asia, its economic, social and political situation; as well as how in recent times the policy of China in the region has changed. But despite some negative consequences, in the short term, Central Asian countries have no choice but to become even closer to China.

scholarly journals The Chinese Economic Pivot in Central Asia and Its Implications for the Post-Karimov Re-emergence of Uzbekistan

Asian Survey ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 747-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timur Dadabaev
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
The Impact

By focusing on the impact of Chinese engagement in Uzbekistan, this article promotes an understanding of the motivations of Central Asian states such as Uzbekistan in strategically engaging China. Although China’s Belt and Road Initiative has received wide coverage, few details of other Chinese projects and their impacts have been analyzed. The article aims to fill in this gap by outlining the latest project details of Chinese engagement and their impact in this region.

The Central Asian Economies in the Twenty-First Century

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Pomfret
Keyword(s):  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
The United States ◽  
Kyrgyz Republic ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Asian Economies ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
External Powers

This book analyzes the Central Asian economies of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, from their buffeting by the commodity boom of the early 2000s to its collapse in 2014. The book examines the countries' relations with external powers and the possibilities for development offered by infrastructure projects as well as rail links between China and Europe. The transition of these nations from centrally planned to market-based economic systems was essentially complete by the early 2000s, when the region experienced a massive increase in world prices for energy and mineral exports. This raised incomes in the main oil and gas exporters, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan; brought more benefits to the most populous country, Uzbekistan; and left the poorest countries, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan, dependent on remittances from migrant workers in oil-rich Russia and Kazakhstan. The book considers the enhanced role of the Central Asian nations in the global economy and their varied ties to China, the European Union, Russia, and the United States. With improved infrastructure and connectivity between China and Europe (reflected in regular rail freight services since 2011 and China's announcement of its Belt and Road Initiative in 2013), relaxation of UN sanctions against Iran in 2016, and the change in Uzbekistan's presidency in late 2016, a window of opportunity appears to have opened for Central Asian countries to achieve more sustainable economic futures.

scholarly journals Quantitative Dynamics Effects of Belt and Road Economies Trade Using Structural Gravity and Neural Networks

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 215824402110326
Author(s):  
Koffi Dumor ◽  
Li Yao ◽  
Jean-Paul Ainam ◽  
Edem Koffi Amouzou ◽  
Williams Ayivi
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Neural Networks ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Neural Network Analysis ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Trade Partners

Recent research suggests that China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) would improve the bilateral trade between China and its partners. This article uses detailed bilateral export data from 1990 to 2017 to investigate the impact of China’s BRI on its trade partners using neural network analysis techniques and structural gravity model estimations. Our main findings suggest that the BRI countries would raise exports by a modest 5.053%. This indicates that export and network upgrades should be considered from economic and policy perspectives. The results also show that neural networks is more robust compared with structural gravity framework.

Colonial Conquest

2021 ◽  
pp. 161-176
Author(s):  
Jagjeet Lally
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
World Economy ◽  
Arabian Sea ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Trunk Road ◽  
New Imperialism ◽  
The Impact

The final three chapters scrutinise the impact on Indo-central Asian trade on the conquest and incorporation of the Eurasian interior into the British and Russian empires, typical of the penetration of European political or commercial regimes into the continental interiors of Afro-Eurasia and America during the era of the New Imperialism. The advent of new railway and shipping routes, as well as the development of new and existing roads, was integral to this process. The result was the revitalisation of a range of routes criss-crossing and connecting the inner continental spaces and their greater integration into the larger world economy. This chapter surveys these developments, focusing on maritime and overland routes from India across the Arabian Sea, over the Karakoram, and those along the Grand Trunk Road through Afghanistan to central Asia.

scholarly journals The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: Gateway to Central Asia

2019 ◽  
Vol 05 (03) ◽  
pp. 455-469
Author(s):  
Mir Sher Baz Khetran ◽  
Muhammad Humayun Khalid
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Regional Integration ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Regional Markets ◽  
History Of ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Central Asian Countries ◽  
The Belt And Road

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI); and its launch in 2015 was regarded as a landmark event in the history of the Sino-Pakistani relationship. With a budget amounting to over $62 billion, it has become the foremost regional integration initiative between China and Pakistan. The project is also open to all interested regional stakeholders, among which Central Asia is one of the most important in geopolitical terms. Located in a landlocked but resource-rich region, Central Asian countries need better access to regional markets including Pakistan, China, India, and the countries of West Asia. Pakistan and China have huge energy demands that can be satisfied by growing trade with Central Asia. Thus, the CPEC will not only benefit Pakistan and China, but it also presents a strategic opportunity for Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan to transport their goods more easily and gain competitiveness in regional and global markets.

Trade Potential between India and Central Asia

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 418-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pradeep Agrawal ◽  
Seema Sangita
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Jel Classification ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Potential Index ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Actual Volume ◽  
Trade Potential ◽  
Trade Route ◽  
Alternate Routes

South–South bilateral trade partnerships have been growing increasingly important, and this article analyses the current patterns of bilateral trade between India and five Central Asian countries and the potential for improving them. We apply the gravity model of trade to construct a trade potential index from an Indian perspective and assess the potential for improving India’s trade with Central Asia. We find that the volume of trade between India and Central Asia in 2015 could be six to ten times greater than the actual volume. Political disturbances in the countries that fall along the direct trade route are a major barrier to trade in this region; therefore, we re-examine the potential for trade using alternate routes via Iran and China. We find that the potential for greater bilateral trade between India and Central Asia continues to be positive. JEL Classification: F10, F14

scholarly journals The CPEC and China-Pakistan Relations: A Case Study on Balochistan

2017 ◽  
Vol 03 (03) ◽  
pp. 447-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mir Sher Baz Khetran ◽  
Muhammad Anjum Saeed
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Land Bridge ◽  
The People ◽  
Strategic Cooperation ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
Planning Development

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will not only enhance the strategic cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad, but also open up new avenues of economic development for the people of Balochistan. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has declared that Gwadar will be connected with main cities to expose the full potential of Balochistan. According to statistics from the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform, Balochistan is estimated to receive $7.1 billion initial investments through the CPEC, ranking second in its share from the total of $46 billion. The CPEC will connect Pakistan to Central Asia via the Eurasian Land Bridge planned under China’s “Belt and Road” initiative. The Pakistani government plans to hook up the country with Central Asia via Termiz (Uzbekistan), making Balochistan the central point of economic activities in the region. Balochistan, in general, and Gwadar, in particular, will hopefully become the linchpin of the CPEC. Significantly rich in mineral resources, Balochistan can contribute to regional economic integration and, in turn, benefit from this economic opportunity greatly.

scholarly journals Russian-Chinese cooperation in Central Asia in the context of ‘Belt and Road Initiative:’ Historical retrospective and economic prospects

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 845-864
Author(s):  
Stanislav E. Martynenko ◽  
Nickolay P. Parkhitko
Keyword(s):  
Silk Road ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Economic Stability ◽  
Chinese Investment ◽  
Political Independence ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
History Of ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Silk Road

This article examines Russo-Chinese investment cooperation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (originally the Silk Road Economic Belt). At the same time, it also studies bilateral agreements, as well as investment and mechanisms. Another focus is the impact of the BRI in Central Asian countries on Russian interests in the region. Research is based on an analysis of the history of joint Russian and Chinese initiatives for economic development to determine the feasibility of cooperation in the BRI. Meanwhile, the authors discuss the BRI’s impact on the economic and foreign policy of the two partners, as well as the risks and opportunities for Russia. The article is based on content and statistical analysis combined with a historical approach. It concludes that Russia and China are actively developing investment cooperation in the framework of the BRI, including the Silk Road Fund. The principal elements of the partnership involve the economy and processing and transporting energy resources. Its objective is to attain both regional economic stability as well as maximizing economic and political independence.

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