China’s Belt and Road Initiative Versus the National Interests of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

Since its launch in 2013, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has extensively obtained a momentum of international attention. The Chinese government is consistently inviting the rest of the world to cooperate effectively and to work hand by hand. In light of this new initiative, Beijing has already reached comprehensive partnership agreements with all the Central Asian states. Although there is an abundance of scholarly works devoted to the topic of the BRI, the national interests of the participating states have not been touched yet in relation to the initiative. Therefore, to contribute to the existing literature, this thesis examines the question whether and how China’s BRI corresponds to the national interests of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Content analysis of official documents and in-depth interviews determine the components of the national interests of the two neighboring states. Based on extensive interviews and literature review, this thesis reveals that while Beijing’s grand strategy is consistent with the national interests of both countries in terms of infrastructure development, social well-being, economic growth, and regional connectivity to large extent, it might menace political regimes, financial independence, and environmental condition of those two countries in near future.