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This book evaluates Central Asian regionalism by analyzing the impact of Russia and China on physical infrastructure in the region. The narrative builds a picture of the nature of the two powers' influence on the development of regional connectivity in Central Asia. The study covers the 30-year period since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, with a focus on the last decade preceding the global pandemic. Qualitative research methods, i.e., documentary analysis, media analysis, and elite interviews, are implemented to explore how activities of Russia and China impact regional cooperation among Central Asian states. Multiple case studies of projects in the networked sectors of infrastructure, i.e., transportation, energy, and telecommunications, are used to build the argument and demonstrate the ways in which Russia's and China's engagement influence regional connectivity. The book is of interest to the scholars who study international relations in Eurasia, major power relations, Sino-Russian relations, China foreign policy, international institutions in Asia, multilateralism, and regionalism. The empirical depth of the book attracts attention of area studies scholars who focus on Central Asia, Central Eurasia, and any of the five Central Asian states. Additionally, the scholars who analyze the roles of hard infrastructure find the book particularly important. The in-depth cases on multilateral financial institutions and regional networks, particularly energy, transportation, and telecommunication, are of great value to those interested in these respective sectors.
List of contents
Introduction.- Chapter 1. Central Asia as a region.- Chapter 2. Regional organization as a questionable reflection of Central Asian regionalism.- Chapter 3. No loans - no roads: China- and Russia-sponsored multilateral financial institutions and their impact on regional cooperation.- Chapter 4. Not all the roads lead to Moscow: new transportation initiatives and their twofold effect on regional cooperation in Central Asia.- Chapter 5. Trading places in Central Asia: The "shift" in the nature of Russian and Chinese engagement and its effects on regional cooperation in the energy field.- Chapter 6. Laying wires - making friends: Russia's and China's engagement in the telecommunication sector and its effects on regional cooperation. - Conclusion.
About the author
Peter Krasnopolsky lived and taught in China for ten years. He conducted research in, Beijing, Bishkek, and Almaty and extensively traveled through China and Central Asia. Peter received Ph.D. from the University of Nottingham and Master's from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He is based in Bayonne, New Jersey.
Report
"The book is recommended for international relations and geopolitics scholars as well as for scholars interested in Central Asia's political-economic development, especially in relation to Russian and Chinese investment in the region. ... this book is a welcome and timely addition to the fields of Central Asian studies and international relations." (Julia Schwab, Europe-Asia Studies, October 4, 2024)
