China's Interest in Central Asia: Economic Cooperation, Energy Security and the Impact of the Belt and Road Initiative

The breakdown of the Soviet Union provided an opportunity for some major powers to conduct political and economic development in Central Asia. For example, abundant natural resources and raw material provided a powerful boost to the economic development of Central Asia. This thesis's research purpose is based on the questions: what is the interest that associates Central Asia with China? -Especially in the political and economic fields. Why do China and Central Asian countries desperately need each other's resources? How will China gain these benefits within the framework of multilateral and bilateral interactions? How will the increasing interaction between China and Central Asian countries affect the "One Belt One Road" (OBOR) project? This thesis will also clarify the impact of the project on the economies of underdeveloped and developing countries in Central and South Asia. The current association between Central Asia and China depends on geographic, political, economic, and security factors. Central Asia and China are geographically neighbours. For the nations of Central Asia, China is an estuary. Central Asian countries can help Beijing establish inland exchanges with Western Asia and Europe. Politically, China and the nations of Central Asia have a long history. Central Asia and China hold similar views on many national and global matters and have formed favourable political relations; economically, China and Central Asian countries have complementary advantages and provide the possibility for extensive cooperation: For China, Central Asian energy, metal, leather products, and other commodities and raw materials' markets are essential. Simultaneously, Chinese industrial, consumer, and agricultural product markets are highly attractive to Central Asian countries. In terms of security, China and Central Asian countries have common interests: combating the threats of racist, religious extremists, transnational crime, terrorism, and regional conflicts is a common goal, and maintaining stability in the border areas of Central Asia and western China will benefit as well. Although there have been thousands of years of cultural exchanges and business between Central Asia and China, it was not until the Central Asian countries became independent that they finally established an equal and mutually beneficial relationship. The past ten years of exchanges and trade have laid a good foundation for China and Central Asia to successfully establish strategic cooperative relations in the twentieth century. In addition, the establishment of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) has built favourable conditions and new openings for the development of China-Central Asia relations. Nevertheless, there are still many problems between China and Central Asian countries. The main differences between their opinions are economic issues such as bilateral trade and water use. There are also different opinions on internal and external policies.