1.1. Significance and Background
Central Asia is an extensive, having no exit to the ocean region of Asia, whichincludes (not geographically) Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan andKazakhstan.
Map 1 Map of Central Asia^
The concept of ”Central Asia" has become firmly established in the modernpolitical lexicon, but in respect of entering of some Asian countries into the region, aswell as separate areas, there are different interpretations (See Map 2). For example,according to the "Geographical Encyclopedia"^Central Asia includes Mongolia and alarge part of the territory of China. In accordance with the Russian military academy“Middle Asia" includes Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan andKyrgyzstan^.
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1.2. Research Method
There have been few attempts in analyzing separate spheres of Sino-CA relations, mainlyfocusing on either economic partnership, or SCO functionality, or energy cooperation.Western literature contains analyses of China-Russia and China-US relations in the CA region，focusing on energy battle and measures of influence in the region, leaving the question ofChina's role in the region still open. A number of authors at home discuss the benefits ofChina-CA cooperation for the development of the region, while others note that the region isbecoming more dependent on China as it penetrates deeper into CA. It is interesting that the. ? ?notion of "great game" has been introduced to explain politics in Central Asia, although theinformation available is limited in scope. Chinese sources mainly stress the importance ofborder security and prevention of conflict and rise of extremists groups in the region. In theonline newspapers there were several articles that sounded the fear of Chinese expansion intothe region. So far, while scrutinizing through economic, political, security and energy aspectsof the Sino-CA relations I was able to discover that none of the authors discussed thestrengthened cooperation in its complexity and suggest policy course for the Central Asiancountries. So my plan is to investigate what role China plays in the region, the vector of itsforeign policy towards CA states and what implications it could bring for the region and othermajor players.
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2 China and Central Asia Security Cooperation: ShanghaiCooperation Organization
2.1. Interests and Priorities
It must be admitted that at present, China's relations with the countries of Central Asiaare on the rise. Volumes of export-import operations from year to year increase. Inplace of the dominant cooperation in the commodity sector comes cooperation in thefield of transport and communications, logistics projects, the non-oil sectors of theeconomy. China is becoming a leading partner of the Central Asian states, and notonly in the economic sphere，but also in the field of geopolitics and regional security.Although not fully，but still reduced negative assessment of China and the Chinese inthe mass consciousness of citizens of Central Asia. In the latent stage has passedlargely mythical threat of Chinese expansion.The state and prospects of bilateral relations and multilateral cooperation，the leadersof China and the Central Asian states are evaluated solely in a positive way. With thenotable exception of the problematic issues are not raised in the media. All this seemsto be compelling evidence that in the short-term concerns about the threat of Chineseexpansion untenable. And this statement is true in many respects. In any case, in theavailable policy documents CCP Central Asia is not regarded as an object ofeconomic and military expansion even more. However，this does not mean that theregional security challenges from China nonexistent.
Problem field in China's relations with the countries of Central Asia is quite extensive.And here there are both quite obvious challenges and threats arising from thesocio-economic and political problems of the development of China and the countriesof the region, as well as a number
