Chinese strategy towards the Caspian Sea region: A study of backgrounds and trends

Abstract

Since the arrival of the reformist trend to power in the midseventies, Chinese foreign policy has experienced profound adjustments in its directions. It began a transition from the planned economy to the market economy, in addition to the establishment of political and economic ties with the international and regional arena. The Chinese strategy towards the Caspian Sea region reflects a first move from isolation towards positioning and extending its geopolitical leverage. This study stresses the impact of Chinese’s intellectual and philosophical backgrounds on its political agenda, relying on G. Almond’s political culture approach that emphasizes the strong relationship between political culture and decision-makers’ behavior, in addition to the rational approach that explains the pragmatic Chinese adaptation. Besides, an inductive approach is used to discuss the relationship between Chinese foreign directions and its intellectual and philosophical backgrounds to better understand the how Chinese manage its rise and rivalry in the Caspian Sea as well as in Central Asia.