Geopolitics of Energy in Central Asia: A New Great Game

Political Science

Central Asia became more important to China as the foreign power system shifted, the economy expanded, industrialization accelerated, and the population grew. China is the world's second largest energy user, while Central Asia has abundant energy and raw materials that complement its economic development. It is involved in Central Asia's energy supplies for protection of supply and a wide demand for its finished products. Prior to the discovery of Central Asian energy supplies, China relied on Middle Eastern oil imports. The oil supply path from the Middle East to China passed via the Malacca Strait, which was under the jurisdiction of the United States, China's alleged competitor in global politics. In the event of a dispute, the US can close this path. This condition alarmed Chinese policymakers, who devised a holistic strategy for the Central Asian region's energy supplies. China's interest in Central Asia is not solely about energy; it is also concerned about the stability of its Xinjiang region, which shares a frontier with several Central Asian republics (CARs). About 60% of Xinjiang's population are Uyghur Muslims. In the other side of the frontier, in the Central Asian Republics, the same ethnic group remains. China is concerned that in the event of regional unrest, terrorist groups may incite the Chinese Uyghur to seek independence. As a result, China is assisting the US in its war against terrorism. Politically, it seeks to mitigate the US's dominance in the area by integrating with the CARs (Central Asian Republics) through the SCO, especially in the aftermath of the US military's invasion of the region in 2001. The paper surveys China's preferences in CARs using a descriptive-analytical method.

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