China’s Relations with Central Asia in Twenty-First Century: Strategy Behind Strong Ties

Abstract

This study examines China's involvement in Central Asia in the 21st century. The new tycoon is related to China's foreign policy aspirations in Central Asia, as well as competition between the world's major nations for the management of Central Asian hydrocarbon resources and the ancient Silk Road. This study focuses on the struggle for control while considering geopolitical, geostrategic, and geo-economics factors. The researcher investigates and explains topics such as oil politics, trade, traditional and non-traditional security, and political hegemony. Our study's primary approach is qualitative, in which the researcher explores China's influence in Central Asia using Mackinder's Heartland theory. Researchers used documentary research to obtain data and selected both primary and secondary records to examine China's involvement in Central Asia. According to the results of this study, China excels in trade, pipeline policies, and attractive economic development. After the Cold War, and after a short period of uniformization, countries like Russia and the United States lag behind in the region. China can win not only the nation but also the hearts of the people, but there are some restrictions due to strategic competition and instability among central Asian states and their domestic issues and issues among them.