As Russia grapples with the war in Ukraine, China is deepening its security footprint in Central Asia most recently by signing a new military agreement with Tajikistan. What does this tell us about Beijing's ambitions and how the region is adapting to a new reality on the ground?
The marriage of material gifts to interpersonal elite social bonds is a distinctive feature of China’s approach to Central Asia one that resonates with local traditions and practices. This characteristic contrasts starkly with the approach preferred by the transatlantic West, which has tended to anchor its engagement with Central Asia in political norms and principles.