As the geopolitical core of the Eurasian continent, Central Asia’s strategic value has become increasingly prominent with the evolution of the global landscape. The “C5+1” multilateral cooperation mechanism has emerged as a crucial platform for major powers to conduct strategic interactions in Central Asia. The interaction and cooperation among various parties concerning agenda-setting, resource development, and security governance profoundly influence the restructuring of the regional order. Based on the theory of international institutional competition and a geopolitical analysis perspective, this paper systematically examines the practical pathways and strategic intentions of major powers, including China and the United States, in participating in the “C5+1” mechanism. By comparing the dynamics of interaction across dimensions such as agenda shaping, economic assistance, and security cooperation, it analyzes the logic of Central Asian countries’ strategic choices and their practical predicaments. The study finds that the interaction among major powers within the “C5+1” mechanism features institutionalized contestation (or “institutional game”), while Central Asian countries’ multi-balanced diplomacy seeks space for independent development amid the major power interactions. This tripartite interactive pattern will exert a long-term impact on the stability and development of Central Asia.
Haofeng Si (Thu,) studied this question.