Why does not China’s Growing Influence in Central Asia Bring Conflict? A Normative Partnership between Moscow and Beijing

Abstract

While perceiving the influence of the United States and the European Union in Central Asia as a threat, Russia has adopted a more accommodating attitude towards China’s foreign policy initiatives in the region. This difference in Russia’s attitude is intriguing as China’s increasing influence in Central Asia has caused a decline in the former’s relative power in the region. This paper investigates why Russia approaches China’s influence and initiatives in Central Asia differently than those of Western powers. The paper argues that the following factors can explain Russia’s preference: Russia’s ongoing supremacy in terms of diplomatic and military influence in the region, China’s diplomatic attitude that is attentive to Russia’s image as the dominant power in the region, and finally, the ideational alignment between the two states regarding the regional and global order. This article contributes to the literature emphasizing ideational factors in Russian foreign policy by examining the convergence between Russia’s and China’s Central Asia policies in the context of normative partnership and regional cooperation.

Keywords

• Russia
• China
• Central Asia
• Normative Partnership

Çin’in Orta Asya’da Artan Etkisi Neden Çatışma Getirmiyor? Moskova ve Pekin Arasında Normatif Ortaklık

Abstract

Kremlin, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri ve Avrupa Birliği’nin Orta Asya üzerindeki etkisini bir tehdit olarak algılarken Çin’in bölgeye yönelik dış politika açılımları konusunda daha olumlu bir tavır takınmaktadır. Pekin’in Orta Asya’da artan varlığı Rusya’nın bölgedeki göreli gücünün azalmasını beraberinde getirmesine karşın Rusya’nın Çin’e karşı olumsuz bir yaklaşım geliştirmemesi merak uyandırıcıdır. Bu makale Rusya’nın Orta Asya’daki Çin etki ve faaliyetlerine neden Batılı güçlerinkinden farklı yaklaştığını sorgulamaktadır. Yazarlar Rusya’nın bu tercihinin şu faktörler ile açıklanabileceğini ileri sürmektedir: Rusya’nın diplomatik ve askeri etki bakımından bölgedeki üstünlüğünün sürmesi, Çin’in Moskova’nın bölgedeki hâkim güç imajını gözeten diplomatik tavrı ve son olarak iki devlet arasında bölgesel ve küresel düzene dair fikirsel uyuşma. Bu makale, Rusya ve Çin’in Orta Asya politikalarındaki uyumu normatif ortaklık ve bölgesel iş birliği bağlamında inceleyerek, Rus dış politikasında düşünsel faktörleri vurgulayan literatüre katkıda bulunmayı amaçlamaktadır.

Keywords

• Rusya
• Çin
• Orta Asya
• Normatif Ortaklık

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