Returns to Old Eurasian Heartland: China’s New Strategic Game towards Central Asia in 21st Century

Abstract

The China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) position of Central Asia is in a crucial point and it is more vital as the hub of cross regional, long distance loops of trade, investment, and infrastructure development. In this research, the main objective is to find out the geopolitical nexus with Central Asia that induce China to persuade Heartland while examining the prevalence sources and mechanisms that China has used for reshaping Central Asia. Hence, China’s new strategic game towards Central Asia is scrutinized by using Mackinder’s Heartland theory and this new knowledge and ideas were generated and constructed by gathering qualitative secondary and primary data. The research reveals that China’s influence in countries of the world–island of Heartland is becoming a trend in the recent years. By giving economic support, China tries to get patronage and loyalty from Central Asia and to challenge the maritime hegemony of the USA. In conclusion this research explores Chinese intentions in Central Asia under a specific set of conditions is likely to become the platform for a new great game. But the parameters for these conditions are unilaterally to emerge in the future. Hence China engages in a new great game as single unified land power through emerging Eurasia with railroads and transportation goods for being a unilateral power economically.