GEOPOLITICAL INTERESTS OF RUSSIA,THE U.S. AND CHINA IN CENTRAL ASIA
Abstract
After the Soviet Union collapsed all of its former republics became independent states. as a result Central Asia, a closed, enigmatic, and hard-to-reach region of Eurasia, again found a worthy place in the very heart of the continent.
his changed Eurasia’s geopolitical map and revealed the global geopolitical and strategic weight of Central Asia. A region that during the long Cold War years remained in the background has re-claimed the attention of the world leaders and a key role in their global strategy. Geographically, Central Asia is the core of Eurasia, a link that connects it with the Middle East, and a transit corridor that spreads the influence of the world powers in all directions. American strategists are convinced that, to-gether with control over the region, the United States will gain control over economically devel-oped Europe and East Asia and, probably, over Africa and other areas. The region is rich in energy fuels: there is the opinion that Kazakhstan’s reserves amount to at least 1 to 1.7 trillion barrels of oil (or nearly 2 percent of world’s oil reserves).1 According to other sources, Central Asian reserves are estimated at $3 trillion. Together with the neighboring coastal Caspian areas, the figures reach astronomical dimensions. The Caspian reserves of natural gas are estimated at 1.4 trillion c m, while the prospected oil reserves amount to 0.7-1 trillion tons. This has earned the Caspian area the name of “second Persian Gulf.” About 60 to 70 percent of oil is concentrated on the Caspian shelf next to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. This suggests that Central Asia will re-main an arena of rivalry among the world and region-al powers. Let us discuss the geopolitical strategies of three of them: Russia, the U.S. and China.
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References
See: K. Tokaefu, “Hasakesitande duiwai zhengce” K. Tokaev, “Foreign Policy of Kazakhstan”), Waijiao xuey-uan xuebao, No. 3, 2002, p. 11.
See: Wang Jingo, “Dui Zhongya shehui ‘eluosihua’ gainiande lilun tantao” (On the Problem of Russification of Central Asian Society), Dongou Zhongya yanjiu, No. 5, 2002, p. 64.
See: “Zhanlue shijiao: Mei zhu jun Zhongya chunji Eluosi” (Point of View: American Military Bases in Central Asia Threaten Russia’s Interests), Lianhe zaobao (Singapore), 8 February, 2002.
See: K.Sh. Khafizova, “Mezhdunarodnye sily v Tsentral’noy Azii i globalizatsia. Mezhdunarodnaia nauchno-prakticheskaia konferentsia, posviashchennaia Godu Rossii v Kazakhstane,” in: Kazakhstansko-rossiiskoe vzaimodeystvie v XXI veke i vyzovy globalizatsii, Kazakhstan Publishers, Astana, 2004, p. 90.
See: Pan Guang, “Zong E guanside lianxing fazhan yu xin shixiade Shanghai hezuo zuzhi” (Favorable Development of the Chinese-Russian Relations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the New Conditions), Shijie jingji yanjiu, Special issue, 2002, p. 34.
See: Panorama, 2 January, 2002.
See: Li Lifan, “Zhe Zhong Mei E da sanjiao yu Zhongyade diyuan zhengzhi zhanlue” (The “Big Triangle’s” Geopolitical Strategy in Central Asia), Shijie jingji yanjiu, No. 4, 2003, p. 25.
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