Interests of the People's Republic of China in the South Caucasus region in the context of the implementation of the "Belt and Road" initiative Abstract

This article examines the China's specific interests in the South Caucasus region in the context of the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The relevance of the research topic is determined by China's economic presence in the South Caucasus following the advancement of the BRI, as well as an analysis of China's historical behaviors in the region, which allows for insights into the future and the identification of directions for Chinese policy in this area. Particular attention is paid to the comprehensive level of China's interests in the South Caucasus. China's main interests in the South Caucasus include geo-economic, geopolitical, and security aspects. China is deepening differentiated cooperation with the three countries of the South Caucasus: Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the author's analysis of both the regional level and the situation in individual countries from China's perspective, considering recent historical events within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The methodology of the research is based on a systemic and comparative-historical approach, including the analysis and generalization of historical events between China and the countries of the South Caucasus in the context of the BRI, official programs, and infrastructure projects to identify China's interests in the region. The main conclusions of the research indicate that China is using economic and technological cooperation as a means to strengthen its presence in the South Caucasus, thereby balancing the geopolitical game of major powers in the region; in the foreseeable future, as the BRI interacts, the South Caucasus may become a "strategic crossroads" for China, connecting the Eurasian continent with Africa. At the same time, China is deepening differentiated cooperation with the three countries: cooperation with Azerbaijan should focus on the parallel development of traditional and new energy sources while simultaneously strengthening Azerbaijan's role as a logistics center; cooperation with Armenia should aim at supporting the regional peace process and collaboration in communication technology; cooperation with Georgia should focus on opening doors for the export of Chinese goods to Europe with the help of FTAs, as well as on modernizing the country's infrastructure and strengthening Georgia's role as a corridor to the Black Sea.

China's interests, South Caucasus, Belt and Road, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Economic interconnectivity, Strategic security, Transportation and Logistics, Improvement of infrastructures