China as a Regional Power: the case of Central Asia

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the behavior of China as a regional power by considering the specific case of Central Asia. The central argument is that Beijing is trying to boost economic, political and military ties with the Central Asian Republics, although its soft power is still very ineffective in the region. Moreover, the Chinese regional ambitions are often viewed with suspicion by neighboring Central Asian countries, which, given their long Soviet past, still see Russia as a great economic, military and cultural reference.