Knowledge Production About China and Perception of the Rise of China in Central Asia

This presentation uses a variety of datasets to cross-examine how Central Asians look at the rising influence of China in their societies. To begin with, oral history interviews with sinologists and senior China experts will allow us to see how the production of knowledge of China are affected by the conditions of their societies, domestic and international politics, as well as how this has further implications for Central Asian countries’ contemporary relations with China. The second part of the presentation uses primary survey analysis conducted in Central Asia and case studies of the ‘China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway’ and ‘Silk Road Samarkand’ tourism complex in Uzbekistan to exemplify China’s rising influence in contemporary Central Asia.

Julie Yu-Wen Chen is Professor of Chinese Studies at the University of Helsinki in Finland. Chen serves as one of the Editors of the Journal of Chinese Political Science (Springer, SSCI). Her research interests are: China’s soft power, the Belt and Road Initiative, ethnic conflict in Xinjiang and its international implications, theories of collective actions, globalisation and glocalisation. Her projects on Central Asia have been financially supported by the Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation (2015-2018; 2023) and Prof. Chih-yu Shih at National Taiwan University (2023).  Dr. Chen formerly held academic positions at Palacky University (Czech Republic), Nazarbayev University (Kazakhstan), University College Cork (Ireland), and Academia Sinica (Taiwan).