Backlash: China's Struggle for Influence in Central Asia

About the Book

Central Asia is at the forefront of China's efforts to assert itself as a major world power. Since 1991, Beijing has emerged as the region's main investor, creditor and trade partner, as well as an increasingly important security provider. But its growing influence has met opposition: in recent years, anti-China protests have erupted across Central Asia, threatening Beijing's shaky regional hegemony.

Bradley Jardine and Edward Lemon examine how Central Asians are pushing back against China's global ambitions, and trace Beijing's attempts to manage its image and secure its interests in response. Drawing on over a decade of fieldwork, Backlash reveals the uncertainties of China's rise. Far from being the omnipotent strategist often depicted in international media, Beijing is making significant missteps, alienating local people and becoming entangled in costly interventions to protect its citizens and investments. Russia's fullscale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 undermined Moscow's regional position, creating opportunities for China to expand its role. But to do so, it must contend with the agency of Central Asians themselves: their interests, policies and priorities.

This incisive book exposes the unravelling of China's alternative to the American-led global order, highlighting both elite and grassroots actors forcing Beijing to adapt its approach.

About the Author :
Bradley Jardine is a political risk analyst, strategic consultant and Managing Director of the Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs. He is a former fellow at the Wilson Center and served as editor of The Moscow Times (2016-2018) in Russia. His work has appeared in TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Nikkei Asia, The Atlantic and Foreign Policy, and on the BBC and CNN, among others. Bradley is a frequent guest lecturer at the US Foreign Service Institute and resides in Washington, DC.

Review :
"Backlash challenges the way we think about global security--and about whose voices have been left out of that conversation. This is not just a regional study--this is about global power, the politics of fear and the ways that justice, accountability and the rights of those most vulnerable can be silenced. An important and often unnerving book." -- Peter Frankopan, Professor of Global History, University of Oxford

"The most well-researched, data-rich and theoretically sophisticated book on China's growing presence in Central Asia. The authors, leading experts as long-time observers and researchers in the region, have compiled a treasure trove of ethnographic experiences and important unique data." -- Alexander Cooley, Claire Tow Professor of Political Science, Barnard College, Columbia University

"A rare, vivid and systematic study into the impact of China's influence in Central Asia--a sensitive and critical region for China's global footprint. Backlash showcases the non-linear pathway of China's global power, as it meets unexpected upheaval by recipient countries, and attempts to readjust its strategies. A must-read for anyone interested in Global China and China in Central Asia." -- Maria Repnikova, Associate Professor in Global Communication, Georgia State University

"A nuanced account of China's expanding footprint in central Asia." -- International Affairs

"A comprehensive account for both academics and general readers of how China's strategy in Central Asia has evolved over time." -- Nikkei Asia

"A sobering, essential read." -- Asian Affairs

"An incisive and highly relevant examination of China's growing but contested influence in one of the world's most geopolitically sensitive regions." -- Y. Sairambay, Central Asian Affairs

"Jardine and Lemon's nuanced analysis of China's role in Central Asia contributes to a burgeoning body of scholarship on Beijing's expanding global influence. ...Scholars will value the authors' careful disaggregation of Central Asian grievances against China, which include complaints arising from real problems, such as destructive mining practices, and those reflecting local conspiracy theories, such as the idea that Beijing is deliberately sending Chinese men to marry local women." -- Elizabeth Economy, Foreign Affairs