‍Central Asia and The Caucasus Journal

Abstract The Eurasia Initiative (EAI) was launched in 2013 by the South Korean President immediately following Chinese Belt - Road Initiative and was reaffirmed in 2017 by the current President of Korea announcing the new Northern policy. The Korean idea which seeks to link Seoul with Eurasian energy resources and markets has been formulated independent from the priorities and objectives of the Belt - Road Initiative, but South Korea's involvement in BRI is probably the country's only chance to implement its Eurasian Initiative.Examining Central Asia’s geopolitical and geostrategic position and role in EAI and BRI, the present paper discusses the potentialities for convergence between these two initiatives and South Korea's participation in BRI for achieving its Eurasian perspectives. The authors try to find an answer for the following questions: to what factors does the implementation of the EAI depend; and what is Central Asia’s role in this regard? The hypothesis tested is that Seoul’s joining to BRI is the only real chance to implement EAI, and since Central Asia is a joint chapter of both initiatives, Beijing and Seoul’s shared focus can be effective in developing both initiatives. The methodology this paper applies is descriptive-analytical and the library resources are used. The findings also confirm the validity of the research hypothesis.  

Abstract The facts and figures as well as expert reviews of international politics prove that China is in the trend of a power rise as well as hegemony afterwards. The main issue is about the opportunities and obstacles that China will face in this trend, especially from the prism of geopolitics. The question is about the impact of geopolitics on China´s prospect hegemony. Since geopolitics is both an opportunity- maker and restrictive factor for hegemony, it would be both a trouble making and a break ahead for China. This literature not only provides a better understanding of main hindrances that China faces ahead in its power rise, but also serves as a source of explanation for understanding its regional foreign policy instruments. Trying to compose a theoretical framework for the relation between hegemony and geopolitics, the authors have studied possible symptoms of China´s prospect hegemony. China´s Belt - Road Initiative is assessed as an instrument for breaking through its geographical obstacles.