Perspectives of China's Belt and Road Initiative in the post-epidemic period

Abstract

The article presents the factors of influence of coronavirus on the «Belt and road» initiative and economic consequences for the participating countries from Central Asia. Systematic, comparative method and scenario method were selected as research methods. The coronavirus epidemic and the impending economic crisis will affect relations between Central Asian countries. They will not have a completely new reality, but existing trends will accelerate dramatically. In this situation, the economy and technological development of the Central Asian countries will become increasingly dependent on China, which will also affect other areas of cooperation. The article points out problematic issues in the further development of economic corridors, as well as the positive and negative consequences of the pandemic, the reasons for revising the pace and scale of infrastructure projects. Perspective directions of further development of this initiative in political and economic aspects are considered. The coronavirus and its consequences are likely to force the Central Asian countries and China to move closer together much more rapidly. The research objectives are to investigate how the crisis of the coronavirus affects the economy of China and its part, related to the initiative; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Central Asia, its economic, social and political situation; as well as how in recent times the policy of China in the region has changed. But despite some negative consequences, in the short term, Central Asian countries have no choice but to become even closer to China.