Central Asia: A Testing Ground of Sino-Russian Energy Partnership

Central Asia, once an exclusive zone of Tsarist, Soviet, and post-Soviet Russia, has transformed into a region inviting major players of the world to compete for region's energy resources. The region's history has been dominated by the 'Great Game' fought between Tsarist Russia and the empire of British in the middle of the 19 th century. The growing trend of multi-polarity in international politics and a struggle for accessing depleting energy resources, particularly oil and gas, have triggered a fight for resources often dubbed as 'New Great Game' that is capable of determining the future of international political and economic system. This study offers a critical examination of power balancing acts in the energy theater of Central Asia between the US, Russia and China by exploring the energy alliances and partnerships in Central Asia. But, more specifically, it investigates the strengths and weaknesses of the Sino-Russian energy partnership and its repercussions for the US in the Central Asian region. It is a qualitative study that emphasizes exploratory and analytical design to investigate the prospects of great power competition in Central Asia over energy resources. Analyzing the challenges confronting their partnership, it seems improbable that the dynamics of power shift in Sino-Russian bilateral ties would result into slowing down the pace of their partnership. Both Russia and China, in fact, are offered great benefits through collaboration than to confront each other.