The “China – Central Asia” mechanism, initiated by China, marked a transition in China’s regional policy from a predominantly economic focus to a more comprehensive model that includes politics, security, energy, humanitarian engagement, and digital transformation.
The creation of this format was a response to the changing geopolitical landscape, including reduced U.S. activity in the region, growing tensions between Russia and the West, and China’s need to diversify its foreign policy channels amid global instability. The “C+C5” format emphasizes bilateral and regional initiatives grounded in good neighborliness, equality, and mutual benefit. It is also viewed as a soft power tool, demonstrating that China seeks not only to invest but also to build long-term partnerships.
In this context of intensifying global competition for influence in Central Asia, the C+C5 platform has become a strategic tool for China, beyond just an economic one.
Achievements of the “China – Central Asia” Mechanism
The “China – Central Asia” mechanism introduced a new form of political architecture, enabling China to engage in direct dialogue with the five Central Asian states independently of other major powers. This gave China a unique opportunity to promote its own interests and strategic concepts—such as the “Community of Shared Future” and the “Belt and Road Initiative”—both bilaterally and multilaterally. A landmark achievement was the first-ever C+C5 summit held in Xi’an in May 2023, where the vision of “China – Central Asia as a Community with a Shared Future” was presented, setting a bold new direction for regional cooperation.
For Kazakhstan, the mechanism has served as a platform to build more balanced foreign relations, positioning itself as a bridge between East and West. Kazakhstan actively leverages the C+C5 format to advance its own initiative of transforming Central Asia into a stable, prosperous, and inclusive region. Regular contacts between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chinese President Xi Jinping reflect a high level of political trust. Notably, the signing of new strategic partnership agreements and the expansion of bilateral communication channels within the C+C5 framework have strengthened the political synergy between the two nations.
From China’s perspective, Kazakhstan is seen as a key state in Central Asia—ensuring the transit of Chinese goods to Europe and maintaining political stability. For Kazakhstan, the mechanism is a means of reinforcing its sovereignty and agency amid regional competition. Thus, the political-diplomatic track of the C+C5 has become not only a tool of China’s “smart diplomacy,” but also an opportunity for Kazakhstan to enhance its regional and international role, while promoting its multi-vector foreign policy model.
Economic Cooperation
Economic engagement has become the most dynamic area within the mechanism. China views Central Asia as a strategic link for sustaining its external economic development, especially amid growing pressure from the West and intensified competition over transport corridors. For regional countries, including Kazakhstan, cooperation with China opens access to investment, technology, and global logistics chains. In this context, Kazakhstan plays a crucial role as the largest economy in Central Asia and a major transit and energy hub.
Trade turnover between China and Central Asia has been steadily increasing, surpassing $96 billion in 2024, with Kazakhstan accounting for nearly half of this volume. The C+C5 mechanism has stimulated investment flows. China is funding major projects across the region in transport, energy, raw material processing, and the agro-industrial complex. Kazakhstan is the main recipient of Chinese investment in Central Asia.
A central component of economic cooperation has been the modernization of transport infrastructure. In particular, the mechanism has accelerated the construction and expansion of railway routes. In 2023, an agreement was signed on building the new “Bakhty – Chuguchak” railway crossing, which will enhance Kazakhstan’s transit potential and improve the resilience of the Middle Corridor.
Additionally, the industrial-investment cooperation format is actively developing. China and Kazakhstan are implementing joint ventures, technology parks, and agro-industrial clusters. Chinese companies are involved in the modernization of Kazakhstan’s infrastructure, including the digital transformation of logistics (e.g., smart systems for cargo tracking and management). As such, the mechanism serves as an “economic engine” of cooperation, delivering mutual benefits.
Furthermore, for China, Central Asia is a strategic supplier of resources and a key component of its external energy framework, helping diversify energy imports. For Kazakhstan, this presents an opportunity to attract investment in processing industries, modernize power generation, and develop environmentally sustainable solutions. For example, China is involved in the modernization of Kazakhstan’s oil refineries, contributing to improved energy efficiency.
In recent years, China has been promoting a green development agenda in the region, including through the Belt and Road Initiative. Kazakhstan has become a significant partner in this effort, given its targets to reduce its carbon footprint and transition to green energy by 2060. Chinese companies are investing in the construction of solar and wind power plants, and CNNC is among the potential contractors for building a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan.
Humanitarian and Educational Cooperation
The mechanism has launched academic exchange programs, cultural festivals, educational platforms, and new formats for people-to-people dialogue. One of the most visible areas is educational cooperation. China annually increases scholarship quotas for students from Central Asia. In 2024, over 13,000 Kazakh students studied at Chinese universities, while more than 1,000 Chinese students studied in Kazakhstan. The C+C5 platform has also supported the development of dual-degree programs and joint research projects in fields such as digital technology, environmental science, agricultural research, and energy.
Security Cooperation
Security issues hold an important, though not dominant, place in the “China – Central Asia” mechanism. Unlike formats focused primarily on hard power, the C+C5 offers a “softer” model of coordination through enhanced dialogue on security, early warning of threats, and joint efforts to combat transnational risks, cyber threats, and extremism. The mechanism has also provided a forum for addressing transregional challenges such as climate risks, water security, food stability, and biosafety.
Thus, the mechanism offers a strategic opportunity to modernize the region. With sound governance, Kazakhstan can become the intellectual and logistical center of this format, enhancing its role not only as China’s partner but also as a constructive moderator within Central Asia.
The “China – Central Asia” mechanism represents a new format of regional engagement, focused on long-term partnership, multi-level cooperation, and mutual adaptation of interests.
For China, the mechanism has become a tool of proactive regional policy: it enables the creation of resilient logistics routes, ensures energy security, promotes domestic technologies, and fosters positive public perceptions through cultural and educational programs. China demonstrates a willingness to move away from unilateral dominance and toward a model of “shared development.”
Kazakhstan, in turn, has gained a unique opportunity to strengthen its position as a strategic intermediary, an infrastructure hub, and a cultural bridge between East and West. Through its participation in the C+C5, Kazakhstan can attract investment and technology, promote its regional agenda, and enhance the scientific, educational, and diplomatic dimensions of its foreign policy.
In the long term, the success of the mechanism will depend on the ability of the parties to institutionalize cooperation, minimize asymmetries, and respond flexibly to global challenges. Kazakhstan can and should take a proactive role in shaping this new architecture—one focused not only on economics, but also on sustainable, equitable, and inclusive development across the entire region.
China Studies Center
