| Περίληψη: | 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.
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