Chinese Foreign Aid and Investment in Central Asia: Implications on Sino-Russian Relations from a Geopolitical Perspective

This thesis examines China's foreign aid, trade and government-sponsored investment activities in Central Asia from 2001 to 2014, asking and answering the question if any implications on Sino-Russian relations occurred as a result. As China continued to experience sustained economic growth, its development disbursements internationally began to expand as well. This work attempts to analyze the size and scope of these disbursements from China into Central Asia to see if it has impacted Sino-Russian relations utilizing the theoretical framework of geoeconomics put forth by Edward Luttwak and refined by Blackwill & Harris. Understanding the trajectory of Chinese and Russian foreign aid, trade and investment structures historically and contemporarily allows for a clear understanding of both nations' approach as neither actor is a member of the OECD and as such does not adhere to rigid definitions of what constitutes as foreign aid or other. The Central Asian Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan comprise a geostrategic region, with each individual state endowed with tremendous resource potential that remain in global demand. As China's domestic demand of energy surpasses its supply, it will seek new outlets to further its national interests. The potential..