China has set its sights on Central Asia, triggering a new Great Game for power in a region where Europe, Russia and the US have all long sought influence. As the five Central Asian states become increasingly important as a source of oil and gas, a market for consumer goods and as the core of the strategically-important Shanghai Cooperation Organization, China is now “clearly confident it can reorient Central Asia towards Beijing” and away from the world’s other major powers. This issue of China Analysis, published today by the European Council on Foreign Relations and Asia Centre, explores these issues by analysing the evolving debates among experts within China itself. The authors argue that the EU should closely watch Chinese policy in Central Asia – the region is becoming “almost a laboratory for Chinese foreign policy.”

Summary

– THE NEW GREAT GAME IN CENTRAL ASIA –

Strengthening the  SCO (Jérôme Doyon)

Energy cooperation between China and Central Asia (Jean-­Pierre Cabestan)

Economic cooperation beyond the energy sector (Marie-Hélène Schwoob)

Addressing instability in Kyrgyzstan (Martina Bassan)

China Analysis The New Great Game In Central Asia September2011