The Chinese Question in Central Asia: Domestic Order, Social Change, and the Chinese Factor (Columbia/Hurst)

Since the early 2000s, the People's Republic of China has become a key player in the fortunes of Central Asia, particularly by partnering with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Economically, China is one of the largest traders and investors in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, drastically reducing Russia's long-time dominance and the influence of the United States and Europe. Confronting the external conditions contributing to this rise, along with the domestic developments transforming Central Asia into such fertile territory, this volume takes a rare look at contemporary change in Central Asia and China's role in the region's current remaking. This book opens a window onto these developments and their implications in domestic and global spheres.