THE “CHINESE BOX”: THE SILK ROAD ECONOMIC BELT INITIATIVE IN KAZAKHSTAN
Abstract
We have relied on the expert community poll to assess the prospects of Kazakhstan’s involvement in the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative (SREB) as part of the global Belt and Road initiative (BRI) unveiled by Chairman of the PRC Xi Jinping in 2013. We have in mind the “five major goals” defined as political coordination, enhanced construction of a common highway network, closer trade contacts, increased money flows, and closer ties between peoples.
The quoted results of the opinion poll carried out in Kazakhstan from August to October 2018 among Sinologists, experts in international relations, security, economics, and finances revealed their thoughts on the realization of the SREB initiative in Kazakhstan. The priorities were arranged into a pyramid, with infrastructural development at the top, followed by stronger political trust, economic, financial, and investment cooperation, and humanitarian cooperation.
On the whole, the expert community is fairly positively disposed to cooperation with China, even if expert assessments are gradually changing under the pressure of the project’s implementation. The poll revealed the hierarchy of preferences in realizing the SREB initiative in Kazakhstan, allowing for a comparison between the priorities enumerated by Chinese officials and Kazakhstan experts. This indicates that priorities should be selected according to the country’s national interests.
A discussion of whether this initiative should be further actively developed and supported in Central Asia as a whole, and in Kazakhstan in particular, has been carefully analyzed alongside the prospects of a single road network, interconnected transport infrastructure, and the possible risks of a wider transit and investment dependence of Kazakhstan on China.
The issue of “policy coordination” suggested an analysis of the role of the ruling elites of the countries involved and the related corruption risks. In this context, soft power boils down to studies of the Chinese language and Chinese (ethnic) traditional culture, while universal values are not mentioned.
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References
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See: Ibidem.
See: “Kazakhstansko-kitayskoe sotrudnichestvo v ramkakh programmy ‘odin poias-odin put’ obsudili v Astane,”7 September, 2018, available at [https://primeminister.kz/ru/news/all/17096], 28 January, 2019.
For the information about the conference, see [http: //www.naskr.kg/index.php/ru/news/1401-v-bishkeke-proshla-ezhegodnaya-nauchno-prakticheskaya-konferentsiya-dialog-issledovatelej-i-ekspertov-vozmozhnosti-integrirovannogo-raz-vitiya-stran-sng], 28 January, 2019.
See: “Vystuplenie Predsedatelia KNR Xi Jinpina v Nazarbayev universitete (full text),” 16 September, 2013, available at [http: //kz.chineseembassy.org/rus/zhgx/t1077192.html], 28 January, 2019.
Here and elsewhere expert commentaries are in italics.
Zhang Wei, Consul General of the PRC in Almaty, “Vystuplenie na otkrytii kruglogo stola ‘Ekonomicheskiy poyas Shelkovogo puti v kontekste regionalnoy bezopasnosti,’” in: Sbornik materialov kruglogo stola, Almaty, 15 March, 2017,p. 12.
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Ibid., p. 135.
See: Zhang Xiao, Ambassador of the PRC in the RK, “Odin poyas-odin put”: vzaimovygodnoe razvitie i sovmestnoe protsvetanie Kitaia i Kazakhstana,” available at [https://www.kazpravda.kz/fresh/view/odin-poyas--odin-put-vzaimovigod-noe-razvitie-i-sovmestnoe-protsvetanie-kitaya-i-kazahstana], 28 January, 2019.
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See: S.K. Olimova, “Sopriazhenie EAES i proekta Shelkovogo poiasa: budushchee dlia Tadzhikistana,” in: Sbornik materailov nauchnoy konferentsii “Integratsionnye proekty v Evrazii: problemy sotsialno-ekonomicheskogo razvitia”, p. 81.
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See: Zhang Xiao, op. cit.
E.Iu. Sadovskaia, Kitayskaia migratsia v Respubliku Kazakhstan: traditsii Shelkovogo puti i novye vektory sotrud-nichestva, Raritet, Almaty, 2014, p. 149.
Ibid., p. 150.
K.L. Syroezhkin, Nuzhno li Kazakhstanu boiatsia Kitaia: mify i fobii dvustoronnikh otnosheniy, Astana, Almaty,2014, p. 121.
A.M. Amrebaev, “Mozgovye tresty Kitaia obnovliaiutsia,” available at [http: //www.exclusive.kz/expertiza/politika/
/?fbclid=IwAR10wgDNajbrBZFUWrf3r2b_J-k6qGwimgmr3CszzX1dndGcr5RLNglqplI, 24.01.2019], 28 January,2019.
Zhang Xiao, op. cit.
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