A major Russian media outlet, http://Lenta.Ru , runs an article about China's expanding political influence in Central Asia that may change the Russia-China balance in the region. /1 https://lenta.ru/articles/2021/05/11/china_exp/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

The article points out the growing evidence of Central Asia's political elite being bought and bribed by China. Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia's poorest and most fragile nation, is the most vulnerable to Beijing's economic and financial leverage. Tajikistan is another major concern. /2

Of note, http://Lenta.Ru  is controlled by the state-owned Sberbank. The article might be another signal of Moscow's wariness over China's increasing penetration of what used to be Russia's sphere of influence. /3

However, even if China continues to expand its footprint in Central Asia, that is unlikely to result in a clash with Russia. Moscow will try avoid a direct conflict with Beijing, at least as long as it seeks a quasi-alliance with China to counter the US. /4

Furthemore, not everyone in Moscow is convinced that Russia needs Central Asia's 'stans', especially its poorest countries of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Maybe it's time to cut them off and let China take care of them. /5

Finally, the Sinophobia among many Turkic Central Asians, especially in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, should help Russia if there is a tug-of-war over the region. Ironically, Beijing's policies in Xinjiang could benefit Russia in this respect. 6/6