Shifting balance in Central Asia: The Role of External Actors
Journal: The Canadian Journal of European and Russian Studies
Year: 2025

Competing regional cooperation mechanisms in Central Asia provide a unique opportunity for a case study of overlapping regionalisms pursued by three core external actors: the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Russian Federation (RF), and the European Union (EU). The authors’ analysis is focused on the increasingly competing trade routes or corridors in Central Asia as well as the rivalry and interdependency between the participating countries. The research question addressed is what are the