DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Russia and China in Central Asia: Deepening Tensions in the Relationship

  • WILSON, JEANNE L. (Wheaton College, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University)
  • Received : 2021.03.10
  • Accepted : 2021.05.09
  • Published : 2021.06.15

Abstract

In the last several decades, and especially since the Chinese launching of the Belt and Road (BRI) initiative in 2013, the Chinese presence in Central Asia has intensified. Russia and Chinese leaders deny that there is any conflict of interests between them, while the standard narrative has been that the two states adhere to a functional division of tasks in which China concentrates on economic activity while Russia acts as the security guarantor for the region. This article argues that the professed equanimity between the Russian and Chinese leaderships masks the emergence of widening cracks in their relationship with regard to Central Asia. The convenient narrative of a functional division of tasks between the two states is called into question by China's increasingly active presence in the military and security sector in the region, but China's influence is growing throughout the Central Asian economic, political, and social order. China's movement into Central Asia challenges Russia's claim to act as an equal partner of China, as well as its pretensions to regional hegemony. This development reflects the widening disparity between the two states with respect to their power capabilities but it also exposes the interactions between Russia and China in Central Asia as the most vulnerable aspect of their relationship. In Central Asia, a defensive Russia encounters an ascendant China.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank the participants of the Davis Center Post Communist Workshop at Harvard University for their comments on a draft of this article. I would also like to thank the two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

References

  1. AIIB. 2021. Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank. "Our Projects." Project List. https://www.aiib.org/en/projects/list/index.html.
  2. Allison, Roy. 2008. "Virtual Regionalism, Regional Structures and Regime Security in Central Asia." Central Asian Survey 27 (2): 185-202. https://doi.org/10.1080/02634930802355121
  3. Anderson, Danny. 2018. "Risky Business: A Case Study of PRC Investment in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan." China Brief 18 (14): 13-16.
  4. Bordachev, Timofey. 2016. "Russia and China in Central Asia: The Great Win-Win Game." Valdai Papers, no. 50, Valdai Discussion Club, June 2016.
  5. Callahan, William. 2016. "China's 'Asia Dream': The Belt and Road Initiative and the New Regional Order." Asian Journal of Comparative Politics 1 (3): 226-243. https://doi.org/10.1177/2057891116647806
  6. Chankseliani, Maia. 2020. "The Politics of Exporting Higher Education: RussianUniversity Branch Campuses of the 'Near Abroad'." Post-Soviet Affairs 37 (1): 26-44. DOI: 10.1080/1060586X.2020.1789938.
  7. Clarke, Michael and Dana Rice. 2020. "Kazakhstan in Sino-Russian Relations: Cooperation and Competition between the EEU and BRI." The Asan Forum, October 19, 2020
  8. Chen, Yu-wen and Olaf Gunther. 2018. "Back to Normalization or Conflict with China in Greater Central Asia?" Problems of Post-Communism 67 (3): 228-240.
  9. CIA. 2021. CIA World Factbook. "Economy." China and Russia. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/russia/#economy; https://www.cia.gov/theworld-factbook/countries/china/#economy.
  10. Cooley, Alexander. 2012. Great Games, Local Rules. New York: Oxford University Press.
  11. Concept. 2016. Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation (approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin on November 30, 2016). https://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/official_documents/-/asset_publisher/CptICkB6BZ29/content/id/2542248.
  12. Fan, Xianrong. 2015. "Zhu Tajikesitan Dashi Fan Xianrong Zheshou Ta Ah Wei Si Tuo Tongxun She Caifang Quanwen." Interview of Fan Xianrong, Ambassador to Tajikistan, by Tajikistan's Avisto News Agency, April 8, 2015. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/web/gjhdq_676201/gj_676203/yz_676205/1206_676908/1206x2_676928/t1253121.shtml.
  13. Fominykh, Alexey. 2017. "Russia's Public Diplomacy in Central Asia and the Caucasus:The Role of the Universities." The Hague Journal of Diplomacy 12 (1): 56-85. https://doi.org/10.1163/1871191X-12341350
  14. Freeman, Carla P. 2018. "New Strategies for an Old Rivalry? China-Russia Relations in Central Asia after the Energy Boom." The Pacific Review 31 (5): 635-654. https://doi.org/10.1080/09512748.2017.1398775
  15. Gabuev, Alexander. 2015a. "Another BRIC(S) in the Great Wall." Carnegie Moscow Center, July 7, 2015. https://carnegie.ru/commentary/60628.
  16. Gabuev, Alexander. 2015b. "Why did it take Russia so long to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank?" Carnegie Moscow Center, March 30, 2015. https://carnegie.ru/commentary/59554.
  17. Gabuev, Alexander. 2017a. "The Silk Road to Nowhere." Carnegie Moscow Center, May 24, 2017. https://carnegie.ru/commentary/70061.
  18. Gabuev, Alexander. 2017b. "Belt and Road to Where?" Carnegie Moscow Center, December 8, 2017. https://carnegie.ru/2017/12/08/belt-and-road-to-where-pub-74957.
  19. Gabuev, Alexander, Temur Umarov, and Niva Tsz Yan Yau. 2020. "Podcast. Central Asia: Between China and Russia." Carnegie Moscow Center, December 28, 2020. https://carnegie.ru/commentary/83533.
  20. Gabuev, Alexander and Ivan Zuenko. 2019. "The 'Belt and Road' in Russia: Evolution of Expert Discourse." Russia in Global Affairs 16 (4): 142-163.
  21. Goble, Paul. 2019. "China Will Have Military Bases in Central Asia Within Five Years, Expert Says." Eurasian Daily Monitor 16, no. 48, April 4, 2019.
  22. Goble, Paul. 2020. "Russian Military Seeking to Counter Growing Chinese Role in Central Asia." Eurasian Daily Monitor 17, no. 88, June 18, 2020.
  23. Gorenburg, Dmitry. 2014. External Support for Central Asian Military and Security Forces. Working Paper. Stockholm: SIPRI. January 2014. https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/SIPRI-OSFno1WP.pdf.
  24. Hashimova, Umida. 2020. "Before and Beyond 5G: Central Asia's Huawei Connections." The Diplomat, February 19, 2020.
  25. Hess, Maximilian. 2020. "Russia and Central Asia: Putin's Most Stable Region?" Orbis 64, no. 2 (Summer): 421-433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orbis.2020.05.005
  26. Horn, Sebastian, Carmen Reinhard and Christoph Tresbech. 2020. "China's Overseas Lending." Working Paper 26050. NBER, May 2020.
  27. Jardin, Bradley and Edward Lemon. 2020. "In Russia's Shadow: China's Rising Security Presence in Central Asia." Kennan Cable, no. 52, Wilson Center, May.
  28. Kaczmarski, Marcin. 2016. "The Asymetric Partnership? Russia's Turn to China." International Politics 53 (3): 415-434. https://doi.org/10.1057/ip.2016.7
  29. Kaczmarski, Marcin. 2017a. "Non-Western Visions of Regionalism: China's New Silk Road and Russia's Eurasian Economic Union." International Affairs 93 (6): 1357- 1376. https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iix182
  30. Kaczmarski, Marcin. 2017b. "Two Ways of Influence-Building: The Eurasian Economic Union and the One Belt, One Road Initiative. Europe-Asia Studies 69 (7): 1027-1046. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668136.2017.1373270
  31. Kaczmarski, Marcin. 2018. "Convergence or Divergence? Visions of World Order and the Russian-Chinese Relationship." European Politics and Society 20 (2): 207-224. https://doi.org/10.1080/23745118.2018.1545185
  32. Kaczmarski, Marcin. 2019. "Russian-Chinese Relations in Central Asia: Why is There a Surprising Absence of Rivalry?" The Asan Forum, August 19, 2019.
  33. Kendall-Taylor, Andrea and David Shullman. 2021. "China and Russia's Dangerous Convergence: How to Counter an Emerging Partnership." Foreign Affairs, May 3, 2021.
  34. Kerimbaev, Erzhan, Nabizhan Mukhametkhanuly, Aynur Turgenbay, and Zaura Nabizhankyzy. 2020. "Main Factors of China's Soft Power in Central Asia." Central Asia and the Caucasus, February 1, 2020. https://www.ca-c.org/online/2020/journal_eng/cac-01/02.shtml.
  35. Kim, Evgeniia. 2019. "Voennye Bazy Kitaia Poiaviatsia v Turkestane v Techenie Piati Let-Mnenue (Chinese military bases will appear in Turkestan in the course of five years-opinion). Regnum, March 28, 2019. . https://regnum.ru/news/polit/2600955.html.
  36. Kim, Younkyoo and Stephen Blank. 2013. "Same Bed, Different Dreams: China's 'Peaceful Rise' and Sino-Russian Rivalry in Central Asia." Journal of Contemporary China 22 (83): 773-790. https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2013.782126
  37. Korolev, Alexander. 2016. "Systemic Balancing and Regional Hedging: China-Russia Relations." The Chinese Journal of International Politics 9 (4): 375-397. https://doi.org/10.1093/cjip/pow013
  38. Krickovic, Andrej and Maxim Bratersky. 2016. "Benevolent Hegemon, Neighborhood Bully, or Regional Security Provider? Russia's Efforts to Promote Regional Integration After the 2013-2014 Ukraine Crisis." Eurasian Geography and Economics 57 (2): 180-202. https://doi.org/10.1080/15387216.2016.1211026
  39. Kucera, Joshua. 2017. "Kyrgyzstan: Russia Cancels Debts, But Credit Pile RemainsHigh." Eurasianet, May 4, 2017. https://eurasianet.org/kyrgyzstan-russia-cancels-debtscredit-pile-remains-high.
  40. Laurelle, Marlene and Dylan Royce. 2020. "No Great Game: Central Asia's Public Opinion on Russia, China and the U.S." Kennan Cable, no. 58, Wilson Center, August 1, 2020.
  41. Lavrov, Sergei. 2017. "Partnerstvo, Ispytannoe Vremenem" (a partnership tested by time) Rossiiskaia Gazeta, October 4, 2017.
  42. Lavrov, Sergei. 2019. "Vystuplenie i Otvety Na Voprosy Ministra Inostrannykh Del Rossii S.V. Lavrova v Rossiisko-Tadzhikskom (Slaviznskom) Universitete, Dushanbe, 5 Fevralia 2019 Goda" (foreign minister Sergei Lavrov's remarks and replies to questions at the Russian-Tajik (Slavonic) University, Dushanbe, 5 February 2019). Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Tajikistan, February 5, 2019. https://www.mid.ru/ru/maps/tj/-/asset_publisher/VfByAd5UOwu3/content/id/3501226.
  43. Leskina, Natalia and Emma Sabzalieva. 2021. "Constructing a Eurasian Higher Education Region: 'Points of Correspondence' between Russia's Eurasian Economic Union and China's Belt and Road Imitative in Central Asia." Eurasian Geography and Economics. DOI: 10.1080/15387216.2020.1866997.
  44. Liakin-Forolov, Igor. 2020. "Rossiia usilivaet gumannitarnoe sotrudnichestvo v sfere Tadzhikistanskogo obrazovaniia i prodolzhaet aktivno vystupat' za sokhrannost' russkogo iazyka v regione, zaiavil Posol RF PT Igor' Liakin-Frolov." (Russia is strengthening its humanitarian cooperation in the sphere of Tajik education and continues actively to advocate for the preservation of the Russian language in the region, said the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Federation of Tadzhikistan, Igor Lyakin-Frolov). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, February 11, 2020. https://www.mid.ru/ru/maps/tj/-/asset_publisher/VfByAd5UOwu3/content/id/4034071.
  45. Lo, Bobo. 2015. "Frontiers New and Old: Russian Policy in Central Asia." Russie.Nei. Visions, no. 82, IFRI, January 2015.
  46. Lo, Bobo. 2019. "Greater Eurasia: The Emperor's New Clothes or an Idea Whose Time Has Come?" Russie.Nei.Reports, no. 27, IFRI, July 2019.
  47. Lo, Kinling. 2020. "China Increases its Presence in Russia's Former Central Asian Backyard." South China Morning Post, August 2020.
  48. Lukin, Alexander. 2015. "Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Looking for a New Role." Russia in Global Affairs, July 10, 2015.
  49. Lukin, Alexander. 2019. "Russian-Chinese Cooperation in Central Asia and the Idea of Greater Eurasia." India Quarterly 75 (1): 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/0974928418821477
  50. Lukin, Alexander. 2020. "Sino-Russian Cooperation as the Basis For Greater Eurasia." Human Affairs 30: 174-188. https://doi.org/10.1515/humaff-2020-0017
  51. Lukin, Artyom. 2020. "The Russia-China Entente and its Future." International Politics, July 13, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41311-020-00251-7.
  52. Mardell, Jacob. 2017. "The 'Community of Common Destiny' in Xi Jinping's New Era." The Diplomat, October 25, 2017.
  53. Medvedev, Dmitry. 2008. "Interview Given by Dmitry Medvedev to Television Channels: Channel One, Rossia, and NTV." Kremlin, Moscow, August 31, 2008. http://archive.kremlin.ru/eng/text/speeches/2008/ 08/3l/1850_type8.
  54. Milner, Helen. 1992. "International Theories of Cooperation Among Nations." World Politics 44: 466-496. https://doi.org/10.2307/2010546
  55. Morgenthau, Hans. 1973. Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace. 5thed. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
  56. Odgaard, Liselotte. 2017. "Beijing's Quest for Stability in its Neighborhood: China's Relations with Russia in Central Asia." Asian Security 13 (1): 41-58. https://doi.org/10.1080/14799855.2017.1287697
  57. Otorbaev, Djoomart. 2021. "Do Russia and China Have Coordinated Strategies Towards Central Asia?" Valdai Discussion Club, January 12, 2021.
  58. Pantucci, Raffaello. 2019. "The Dragon's Cuddle: China's Security Power Projection into Central Asia and Lessons for the Belt and Road Initiative." In Securing the Belt and Road Initiative: China's Evolving Military Engagement Along the Silk Roads, edited by Nadege Rolland, 59-70. NPR Special Report 80, September 2019.
  59. Peterson, Rachelle. 2020. "China is Rebranding Its Confucius Institutes." Real Clear Education, July 22, 2020. https://www.realcleareducation.com/articles/2020/07/22/china_is_rebranding_its_2confucius_institutes_110445.html.
  60. Peyrouse, Sebastien. 2016. "Discussing China: Sinophilia and Sinophobia in Central Asia." Journal of Eurasian Studies 7: 14-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euras.2015.10.003
  61. Pogrebniak, Evgenii. 2020. "Deistviia Kitaia v Srednei Azii Privlekli Vnimanie Rossiiskikh Voennykh (the actions of China in Central Asia are attracting the attention of the Russian military). Vzglad, June 9, 2020. https://vz.ru/world/2020/6/9/1043866.html.
  62. Postanovlenie. 2013. Postanovlenie Pravitel'stva RF ot 8 Oktiabria 2013 g. N. 891 "Ob Ustanovlenii Kvoty na Obrazovanue Inostrannykh Grazhdan i Lits Bez Grazhdanstva v Rossiiskoi Federatsii" (decree of the government of the Russian Federation of October 8, 2013 N. 891 "on the establishment of a quota for the education of foreign citizens and stateless persons in the Russian Federation"). Moscow: Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, D Medvedev. http://base.garant.ru/70468236/.
  63. Putin, Vladimir. 2019. "Zasedanie Diskussionnogo Kluba Valdai" (meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club), October 3, 2019. http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/61719.
  64. Raissova, Zulfiya. 2020. "Trends in Modern Labor Migration in Central Asia." Central Asian Bureau for Analytical Reporting, February 2, 2020. https://cabar.asia/en/trendsin-modern-labor-migration-in-central-asia.
  65. Renmin Ribao. 2019. "Guanyu 2018 Nian 5 Yue 17 Ri Quanshude 'Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo yu Ouya Jingji Lianmeng Jingmao Hezuo Xieding' Shengxiaode Lianghe Shengming (joint statement on the entry into force of the Economic and Trade Cooperation Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Eurasian Economic Union signed on May 17, 2018). Renmin Ribao, October 26, 2019.
  66. RFE/RL. 2010. "Tajik President's Son-In-Law Denies Ties to Company." Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, July 12, 2010.
  67. RFE/RL. 2020 "Hundreds Join Protests Against Chinese Investment in Kyrgyzstan." Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, February 17, 2020.
  68. Rolland, Nadege. 2017. "Eurasian Integration 'a la Chinese': Deciphering Beijing's Vision for the region as a 'Community of Common Destiny.'" The Asan Forum, June 5, 2017.
  69. Rolland, Nadege. 2019. "A China-Russia Condominium over Eurasia." Survival 61 (1): 7-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/00396338.2019.1568043
  70. Rozman, Gilbert. 2020. "Multipolarity versus Sinocentrism: Chinese and Russian Worldviews and Relations." The Asan Forum, July-August 2020.
  71. Russian-Tadjik Relations. 2021. "Rossiiko-Tadzhikskie Otnoshenie." Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. https://www.mid.ru/ru/maps/tj/?currentpage=main-country.
  72. Russian-Uzbek Relations. 2021. "Rossiisko-Uzbekskie Otnosheniia." Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. https://www.mid.ru/ru/maps/uz/?currentpage=maincountry.
  73. Samokhvalov, Vsevolod. 2018. "Russia and Its Shared Neighborhoods: A Comparative Analysis of Russia-EU and Russia-China Relations in the EU's Eastern Neighborhood and Central Asia." Contemporary Politics 24 (1): 30-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/13569775.2017.1408171
  74. Savin, Igor. 2020 "Rossiia i Obespechenie Bezopasnosti Stran Tsentral'noi Azii: Interv'yu s Igorem Savinom" (Russia and the guarantee of security to the states of Central Asia: Interview with Igor Savin). CAA Network, April 21, 2020. https://caa-network.org/archives/19532.
  75. Shah, Ankur. 2020. "Russia Loosens its Belt." Foreign Policy, July 16, 2020.
  76. Shih, Gerry. 2019. "In Central Asia's Forbidding Highlands, a Quiet Newcomer: Chinese Troops." The Washington Post, February 18, 2019.
  77. Skalamera, Morena. 2017. "Russia's Lasting Influence in Central Asia." Survival 59 (6):123-143. https://doi.org/10.1080/00396338.2017.1399731
  78. Sopriazhenue. 2017. "Sopriazhenue EAES i EPshP Priobretaet Real'nye Ochertaniia: Soglasovan Spisok Infrastrukturnykh Proektov" (the conjunction of the EAEU and the SREB takes on real shape: a list of infrastructure projects has been agreed). Eurasian Commission, January 3, 2017. http://www.eurasiancommission.org/ru/nae/news/Pages/2-03-2017-1.aspx.
  79. Sovmestnoe Zaiavlenie. 2016. "Sovmestnoe Zaiavlenie Rossiiskoi Federaratsii i Kitaiskoi Narodnoi Respubliki (joint statement of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China), The Kremlin, June 25, 2016. http://www.kremlin.ru.supplement/5100.
  80. Sovmestnoe Zaiavlenie. 2019. "Sovmestnoe Zaiavlenie Rossiiskoi Federatsii i Kitaiskoi Naradnoi Respubliki o Razvitii Otnoshenii Vseob"emlyushchego Partnerstva i Strategicheskogo Vzaimodeistviia, Vstupayushchikh v Novuyu Epokhu" (joint statement of the Russian Federation and the Chinese People's Republic about the development of relations of a comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction, entering into a new epoch). The Kremlin, June 5, 2019. http://www.kremlin.ru/supplement/5413.
  81. Strategy. 2015. Russian National Security Strategy December 2015-Full Text Translation. http://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/OtrasPublicaciones/Internacional/2016/Russian-National-Security-Strategy-31Dec2015.pdf.
  82. Sukhankin, Sergei. 2020. "The Security Component of the BRI in Central Asia, Part Two: China's (Para) Military Efforts to Promote Security in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan." China Brief 20, no. 14, August 12, 2020.
  83. Sun, Lijie. 2016. "Zhu Wuzibiekesitan Dashi Sun Lijie Yingyao Chuxi 'Huawei Xinxi yu Wangluo Jishu Xueyuan' Qianyue Yishi" (Chinese ambassador to Uzbekistan Sun Jilie was invited to attend the signing ceremony of Huawei Institute of Technology and Information Network). Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, May 18, 2016. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/web/gjhdq_676201/gj_676203/yz_676205/1206_677052/1206x2_677072/t1364513.shtml.
  84. Swaine, Michael. 2014. "Chinese Views and Commentary on Periphery Diplomacy." China Leadership Monitor 44, July 28, 2014.
  85. Szalkai, Kinga. 2020. "Russia's Recent Military Buildup in Central Asia: A Message Without an Address." CSIS, September 25, 2020. https://www.csis.org/blogs/post-soviet-post/russias-recent-military-buildup-central-asia.
  86. Ulmasov, Dzhamshed. 2015. "Politika Kitaia: Druzhestvennost', Iskrennost', Vygodnost' I Tolerantnost'" (the policy of China: friendship, sincerely, benefit, and tolerance). Avesta, April 2, 2015. http://avesta.tj/2015/04/02/politika-kitayadruzhestvennost-iskrennost-vygodnost-i-tolerantnost-3/.
  87. Umarov, Temur. 2019. "What's Behind Protests Against China in Kazakhstan." Carnegie Moscow Center, October 30, 2019.
  88. Umarov, Temur. 2020. "China Looms Large in Central Asia." Carnegie MoscowCenter, March 30, 2020.
  89. Umarov, Temur. 2021. "Dangerous Liaisons: How China is Taming Central Asian Elites." Carnegie Moscow Center, January 29, 2021.
  90. Van Der Kley, Dirk. 2019. "China's Security Activities in Tajikistan and Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor." In Securing the Belt and Road Initiative: China's Evolving Military Engagement Along the Silk Roads, edited by Nadege Rolland, 71-89. NPR Special Report 80, September 2019.
  91. Van Der Kley, Dirk. 2020. "Chinese Companies Localization in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Problems of Post-Communism 67 (3): 241-250. https://doi.org/10.1080/10758216.2020.1755314
  92. Wilson, Jeanne L. 2015. "Soft Power: A Comparison of Discourse and Practice in Russia and China." Europe-Asia Studies 67 (8): 1171-1202. doi:10.1080/09668136.2015.1078108.
  93. Wilson, Jeanne L. 2016. "The Eurasian Economic Union and China's Silk Road: Implications for the Russian-Chinese Relationship." European Politics and Society 17, sup.1: 113-132. doi: 10.1080/23745118.2016.1171288.
  94. World Bank. 2020. "Personal Remittances Received (% of GDP)." Indicators. http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.TRF.PWKR.DT.GD.Z8.
  95. World Bank. 2021. "International Debt Statistics." Data. https://datatopics.worldbank.org/debt/ids/.
  96. Xi, Jinping. 2019. "Xi Jinping Zhuxi Zai Shanghai Hezuo Zuzhi Chengyuan Guo Yuanshou Lishi Hui Di Shi Jiu Ci Huiyi Shangde Jianghua (Quanwen)" (speech by president Xi Jinping at the 19th meeting of the council of heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (full text)). Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, June 14, 2019. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/web/gjhdq_676201/gjhdqzz_681964/lhg_683094/zyjh_683104/t1672328.shtml.
  97. Xinhua. 2018. "Chinese Language Craze Catches on in Tajikistan." China Daily, October 15, 2018. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201810/16/WS5bc5a563a310eff303282b0b.html.
  98. Yau, Niva Tsz Yan. 2019. "Smart Cities or Surveillance? Huawei in Central Asia." The Diplomat, August 7, 2019.
  99. Yau, Niva Tsz Yan. 2020a. Russia and China's Quiet Rivalry in Central Asia. Philadelphia: Foreign Policy Research Institute.
  100. Yau, Niva Tsz Yan. 2020b. "Governance Effects of China in Central Asia." Program Event. Foreign Policy Research Institute, December 10, 2020.
  101. Yau, Niva and Dirk Van Der Kley. 2020. "The Growth, Adaptation, and Limitations of Chinese Private Security Companies in Central Asia." The Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs, October 13, 2020.
  102. Zhang, Pei. 2018. "Zhongguo yu Ouye Jingji Lianmeng Qianshu Jingmao Hezuo Xieding, Zhongguo Guomen Shibao" (China and the EAEU sign an economic and trade cooperation agreement). Zhongguo Guomen Shibao (China Guomen Times). May 21, 2018.
  103. Zhang, Xiao. 2018. "Zhu Hasa Kesitan Dashi Zhang Xiao Chuxi Zhongguo Shiguan Yuanjian Ha Xiaonian Junxiao Dian Jiaoshi Jiancheng Yishi (Ambassador Zhang Xiao attended the ceremony of the Chinese aided electronic classrooms of the Kazakh youth military academy), Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, November 6, 2018. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/web/gjhdq_676201/gj_676203/yz_676205/1206_676500/1206x2_676520/t1610648.shtml.
  104. Zhao, Huasheng. 2007. "Central Asia in China's Diplomacy." In Central Asia: The View from Washington, Moscow, and Beijing edited by Eugene Rumer, Dmitri Trenin and Huasheng Zhao, 137-213. New York: M.E. Sharpe.
  105. Zhao, Huasheng. 2017. "Zhongguo yu Da Ouya Huobian Guanxi" (China and the Greater Eurasian Partnership." Guoji Wenti Yanjiu (International Studies) 06.
  106. Zhong E. 2015. Zhong E Lianhe Shengming: Shenhau Qianmian Zhanlue Xiezuo Guanxi Changdao Hezuo Gong Ying (Sino-Russian joint statement: deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership, promote win-win cooperation). Xinhua News Agency, May 2015. http://www.ahwang.cn/world/20150509/143025.
  107. Zhong E Lianbang. 2015. Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo yu Eluosi Lianbang Guanyu Sichou Zhi Lu Jingji Dai Jianshe he Jianshe Duijie Hezuode Lianhe Shengming Quanwen (People's Republic of China and Russian Federation joint declaration on cooperation between the silk road economic belt construction and the Eurasian Economic Union), May 9, 2015. http://www.qstheory.cn/zhuanqu/zywz/2015-05/09/c_1115228503.htm.
  108. Zhong Ji. 2019. Zhonghua Renmin Gonghe Guo he Jierjisi Sitan Gongheguo Guanyu Jinyibu Shenhua Quanmian Zhanlue Huoban Guanxide Lianhe Shengming (joint statement of the People's Republic of China and the Kyrgyz Republic on further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership), June 13, 2019. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/web/gjhdq_676201/gj_676203/yz_676205/1206_676548/1207_676560/t1671981.shtml.
  109. Zubkov, Igor. 2016. "Budet Kak Shelkovyi" (it will be like silk). Rossiiskaia Gazeta, 276 (7144), December 5, 2016.
  110. Zuenko, Ivan. 2017. "Negative Scenario I." The Asan Forum, September 15, 2017.