China has strategically pushed into education, culture, media, and art—especially in the Kazakh language.

What is the overall debt situation toward China in Central Asia, and how does China adapt its debt policy to the realities of different Central Asian countries? Nargiza Muratalieva explores these questions and more.

What are Chinese security companies doing in Central Asia—and how do they relate to China's strategic interests in the region? Odil Gafarov discusses the diverse operations of Chinese security companies in various Central Asian countries and explores the implications they hold for the broader region.

China’s relationships with Central Asian borrowers are hardly one-size-fits-all. Chinese financial players have adapted and used different models, demonstrating the country’s flexibility as a lender.

Why are Central Asian countries switching to alternative energy despite having significant natural gas and crude oil reserves? And how has China's approach to entering this alternative energy market evolved over time?

How is Kazakhstan reshaping the nuclear industry? With advanced uranium mining and joint ventures, Kazakhstan supplies 40% of the world's uranium, fueling China’s nuclear expansion and reshaping geopolitics. Yanliang Pan unpacks Kazakhstan's pivotal role in China’s nuclear growth and its impact on international energy dynamics.

And how they adapted to local market demands and security challenges.

China has been investing in solar and wind energy projects in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, increasingly adapting its approach to the needs and regulations in each country.

Kazakhstan has leveraged its natural uranium resources to hold the reins in its nuclear fuel–related dealings with China.

The marriage of material gifts to interpersonal elite social bonds is a distinctive feature of China’s approach to Central Asia—one that resonates with local traditions and practices. This characteristic contrasts starkly with the approach preferred by the transatlantic West, which has tended to anchor its engagement with Central Asia in political norms and principles.

China has largely appealed to ruling elites in its approach to Central Asia. Nargis Kassenova explains the rationale and effectiveness of this strategy.

A lively discussion of powerful similarities and intriguing differences across four regions—Southeast Asia, Latin America, Central Asia, and South Asia—and what can be learned by comparing local strategies and Chinese responses around infrastructure, investment, and training.