Development of China–Kazakhstan Cooperation: Building the Silk Road of the Twenty-First Century?

What is it about?

This article examines different stages of the development of China-Kazakhstan cooperation and identifies major reasons that facilitate the advancement of close links between those two countries. It explains China’s role in Kazakhstan’s multi-vectored foreign policy, demonstrates major milestones in the expansion of political and economic ties between two countries, and explains the major characteristics of the China-Kazakhstan strategic partnership. It also addresses the current developments and problems of China-Kazakhstan cooperation, in particular related to the implementation of the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) initiative and the launching of regional integration processes along the New Silk Road. Finally, the article contains concluding remarks arguing that by putting forward the SREB initiative, China seeks to export its development model, while China’s ambition finds full support in Kazakhstan. Therefore, the China-Kazakhstan partnership may significantly facilitate the implementation of the SREB initiative, but at the same time will contribute to the consolidation of authoritarian regimes in the wider region.

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