Yuriy Kobzar20:54, 07/03/24

There will be no power vacuum in the region. China is strengthening its influence here.

Russia is losing its influence in the countries of Central Asia that were once part of the USSR. China is becoming the new hegemon here. The Wall Street Journal writes about it .

The author of the publication draws attention to the obvious signs of the reorientation of these countries from the north to the east: more and more cars of Chinese brands, such as BYD and Geely, are driving on the streets of Uzbekistan, while the number of Russian Lads is decreasing.

As long as Beijing and Moscow declare a joint opposition to the fictional aggression of the West against them, the tension between the two dictatorships persists behind the scenes. And one of the directions of the hidden confrontation between the Russian Federation and China is Moscow’s “backyard” – Central Asia.

“In Central Asia, as in the Arctic, Moscow’s dependence on Beijing to support its war machine makes it tacitly acquiesce to encroachment. In this strategically located region, Beijing is pulling local economies into its orbit. Chinese investment is drawing the region’s young workers away from Russia. Financed by China the railway promises to connect it with Europe, bypassing the territory of Russia. Chinese renewable energy projects help reduce the country’s dependence on Russian gas,” the WSJ describes the situation.

Sanzharbek Kulmatov, a 29-year-old worker at a Chinese factory in central Uzbekistan, said that Chinese money has dramatically changed the job prospects for him and his compatriots.

“Everyone who is unemployed can find a job here instead of going to Russia,” he said.

The author of the article notes that the gradual change in the balance of power in the region took place over many years, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine significantly accelerated the process. In the region, the attack on Ukraine was perceived as a senseless and sinister violation of the territorial integrity of the former Soviet republic – such as they themselves. Instead of supporting Moscow, all five Central Asian states chose to remain neutral regarding the invasion.

“China is creating an image of the future for Central Asia. Russia is a short-sighted political regime that does not invest in its own strategic goals in Central Asia,” said Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Carnegie Eurasia Center. 

(C)UNIAN 2024