China

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are strengthening their economic ties with China through an ambitious railway project linking the three countries along the historical Silk Road

How China’s Connectivity Project is Being Reconfigured across the Old Continent — and What It Means for the Euro-Atlantic Alliance

The Chinese-Kyrgyz-Uzbek railway affects the interests of key geopolitical actors of the Eurasian continent

Since the beginning of the Russian-Ukraine conflict, the countries in Central Asia (CA) became acutely aware of the severe limitations related to their transportation routes. With heavy dependence on Moscow, CA countries decided to engage in diversification of their import- export channels. For Bishkek and Tashkent such attempts resulted in the renewed interest in advancing the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway project.

China has established its geopolitical influence in Southeast Asia through its rail projects, which will grow further as more lines are completed.

Transit time and possible transport China’s trade with the Global South is growing significantly, driven on the one hand by the China Plus One strategy and on the other by the development of new markets. But many challenges remain.