Sino–Russian Policies in the Center and Periphery: A Comparative Analysis

This book is a comparative study of Chinese and Russian policies in their respective inner peripheries. As the inner peripheries of the two states are rather vast, a selected number of regions have been chosen from the two geographical expanses. These regions are not only rich in hydrocarbons and minerals but also serve as conduits of the same. Moreover, the geographical position of the Caucasus provides Russia with an ingress into the Transcaucasia; a region that has often presented Moscow with serious challenges in international politics. Similarly, Xinjiang and Tibet serve as supply bases of hydrocarbon and mineral, and as conduits of the same to the Chinese regime. In addition to this, while Tibet serves as China’s anchorage in Himalayas and a buffer zone against the Indian threat, Xinjiang is China’s gateway to the resource rich Central Asian market. With both Russia and China on the path of changing the post-Soviet unipolar order; insights on Sino-Russian ties and the various challenges and opportunities available to the two states are inevitable for any reader trying to understand the complexity of international politics in general and of Chinese and Russian politics in particular of the twenty-first century.

Table of Contents:
List of Figures List of Abbreviations Introduction Chapter 1: A Brief Introduction to the Peripheries of Russia and China Chapter 2: China and Russia in the Post-Cold War Era Chapter 3: Winds of Change: The Importance of Sino-Russian Ties in a Changing World Chapter 4: Chinese and Russian Counter Policies in the Context of Disturbed Peripheries Chapter 5: The State and the God: A History of Religion in Russia and China Chapter 6: Emerging Dynamics of Sino-Russian Partnership in the Periphery: China in the Russian Far East Conclusion and Recommendations Bibliography About the Author

About the Author :
Samra Sarfraz Khan is assistant professor of history at University of Karachi.

Review :
Eloquently written, this book is a valuable contribution to the literature on Chinese and Russian policies in their inner peripheries. While most recent studies rather focus on the international and economic affairs of the two states, this study by Samra Sarfraz Khan fills the gap in current research on Sino-Russian policies towards their periphery regions. This book details historical development in not only the peripheries of China and Russia, but also in the bilateral relations between the two neighboring giants of the twenty-first century. Critical deliberation on the inter-relationship between periphery politics and bilateral development on the two sides is the most distinguishing feature that substantially adds to the significance of this research.