Russia has its Eurasian Economic Union, and China has its Belt and Road Initiative. For both projects, Central Asia is important.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there is growing belief that Beijing is on the verge of supplanting Moscow as the dominant power in Central Asia.

The marriage of material gifts to interpersonal elite social bonds is a distinctive feature of China’s approach to Central Asia—one that resonates with local traditions and practices. This characteristic contrasts starkly with the approach preferred by the transatlantic West, which has tended to anchor its engagement with Central Asia in political norms and principles.

China has largely appealed to ruling elites in its approach to Central Asia. Nargis Kassenova explains the rationale and effectiveness of this strategy.

This episode looks at the impact of events in Afghanistan on the broader region and the balance of power there.

In 2019, Kazakhstan’s new President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev pledged large-scale political and economic reforms to open up political space and initiate a series of substantial social and fiscal reforms. Now, eighteen months into the Tokayev presidency, progress is slower than expected.

Like the rest of the world, Central Asian states and societies are being stress-tested by the COVID-19 pandemic. Can they withstand the storm?