Perceptions and Views of Kazakhstan’s people on China and the Belt and Road Initiative

The year 2023 will mark the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China. Over the past decade, the increase in investment, trade, and personnel flow from China to Kazakhstan under the BRI has affected the views and perceptions of Kazakhstan’s people on the neighboring country. Though this topic is of great importance, it has not been sufficiently studied. This study aims to examine the public perception of China through the survey that the author conducted in March 2020, just before the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, in such cities of Kazakhstan as Aktobe, Shymkent, Oskemen, Almaty, and Astana. This study is an attempt to contribute to a better understanding of the public perception of Kazakhstan’s people on China and its BRI and provide a new angle on how other Central Asian states might perceive their rising Chinese neighbor.