A major Russian media outlet, http://Lenta.Ru"> http://Lenta.Ru , runs an article about China& #39;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">https://lenta.ru/articles/...

The article points out the growing evidence of Central Asia& #39;s political elite being bought and bribed by China. Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia& #39;s poorest and most fragile nation, is the most vulnerable to Beijing& #39;s economic and financial leverage. Tajikistan is another major concern. /2

Of note, http://Lenta.Ru"> http://Lenta.Ru  is controlled by the state-owned Sberbank. The article might be another signal of Moscow& #39;s wariness over China& #39;s increasing penetration of what used to be Russia& #39;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& #39;s & #39;stans& #39;, especially its poorest countries of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Maybe it& #39;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& #39;s policies in Xinjiang could benefit Russia in this respect. 6/6