From Central Asia to the Black Sea: China and the South Caucasus

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China is now an established global power. This chapter looks at what are Beijing’s views on the South Caucasus and what place it holds within the Belt and Road Initiative. It will be suggested that though the South Caucasus’ transit potential is acknowledged by Beijing, the latter still lacks a comprehensive vision for the region. The dearth of strategic thinking is however caused by geography. Though the shortest land route from western China to Europe, the South Caucasus is nevertheless highly dependent on China’s position in Central Asia and the Black Sea. In both spaces Beijing reinforces its role economically and politically, but it has not yet reached the desired level. This “Cauc-Asian” perspective explains the Chinese reticence in the South Caucasus. Engagement with the latter is likely to move beyond patchy investments and reach a new level once infrastructure in Central Asia and trans-Caspian connectivity improves.