ABOUT BOOK

This chapter makes an empirical contribution by ~studying whether the launch of BRI has led to a shift in Central Asian attitudes ~towards and perceptions of China. We discuss the interaction between China and ~each of the five Central Asian states, highlighting local attitudes towards and perceptions ~of the big neighbour. We focus on economic interaction, infrastructure ~and education initiatives as they are among the main pillars of the BRI agenda, ~while acknowledging that cooperation on political, diplomatic, and security issues ~has been no less important for shaping perceptions of China in Central Asia. ~One limitation of our analysis should be mentioned. It is difficult to separate ~BRI analytically from other ongoing projects within the bilateral cooperation ~between China and the Central Asian countries, “as many bilateral agreements ~are now being brought under the Silk Road and BRI umbrella” (Dave 2018, ~p. 100). We attempt to overcome this limitation by tracing changes in attitudes ~towards and perception of China in general since 2013, when BRI was ~announced, and whether the change can be attributed to the promotion of BRI.