A Review of China-Kazakhstan Economic Relationship during the 21st Century

Abstract

Economic diplomacy promotes a state's national interest through economic apparatuses. China has efficiently applied this craft in Central Asia and other parts of the world through infrastructure development projects which in turn would make China better off in energy, economy and security. The Central Asian Republic of Kazakhstan is the largest land-locked country in the world which shares a long border with China. This former Soviet Republic has pivotal strategic potential due to its location and massive natural reserves. Since China's energy needs are ever-increasing because of its enormous industrial capacity so she is preferably considering Kazakhstan for energy partnership. Two out of six economic corridors of "Belt & Road Initiative" (BRI) of China are also passing through Kazakh Republic. These considerations make Kazakhstan specifically and Central Asia generally a centre of China's attention. In that perspective, the instant study investigates China's economic policy towards Kazakhstan. A qualitative method of reasoning is followed to find the results. It reveals that Kazakhstan has obtained a central role in fulfilling the energy requirements of China.