As Israel’s war on Iran rages and Russia intensifies its missile and drone strikes on Kyiv, China is quietly expanding its influence in Central Asia.
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The second China-Central Asia Summit, held in Astana in Kazakhstan last week, was an ideal opportunity for Beijing to strengthen economic and political ties not only with the host country but also with Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. The Astana Times reported that a total of 58 agreements worth nearly US$25 billion were signed between China and its regional partners. China also reached a series of bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Earlier this week, Kazakhstan announced that China National Nuclear Corporation would lead a project aimed at building another nuclear power plant in the Central Asian country. These developments indicate that Beijing’s influence in this strategically important region is only growing.
However, that does not mean that other global actors are sitting idly by and watching as China strengthens its position in Central Asia. Earlier this year, the European Union sought to expand its ties with the region through the EU–Central Asia Summit format. It is not a secret that Brussels is eyeing Central Asian raw materials.
Russia, meanwhile, despite its preoccupation with the war in Ukraine, still sees the region as its “near abroad” and maintains relatively strong security ties with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – all members of the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).
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The Kremlin also continues to exert its influence in Central Asia through the Eurasian Economic Union, while the EU is attempting to use its Global Gateway project to serve as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Brussels, however, faces a challenge because China, benefiting from geographic proximity to Central Asia, is currently ahead of the EU in the region.