YEVA HARUTYUNYAN
gas markets shifted from Europe to Asia . 2 Thus , huge amount of energy resources of Central Asian states increased the interests of Asian states which launch to activate “ Old Silk Road ” known in literature as “ Energy Silk Road ” or " Silk Road of the 21 st century ." 3 The main features of this road are carrying out three components : a Eurasian Continental railroad bridge � , a major highway � , and a pipeline network . 4
It is noteworthy to mention that Central Asia has always been attractive for the Great Powers . Russian imperial interests in Central Asia started in the 18 th century . Later , from 1813 to 1907 the Great Britain and the Russian Empire have been struggling for domination on Central Asia . However , from 1860 until the collapse of the Soviet Union in fact Central Asia was under Russian rule . 5 After the dissolution of the USSR and establishment of independence of five states ( Republic of Kazakhstan , Kyrghyz Republic , Republic of Tajikistan , Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan ), Turkey , Iran , China , Pakistan , India , the United States and Russia has begun combating for filling influence vacuum in Central Asia . The prize of the “ new great game ” are pipelines , tanker routes , petroleum consortiums and contracts . Though Japan is not engaged directly in “ new great game ” politics , it is concerned with the consequences of the “ game ” and cannot afford the destabilization of Central Asia . According to the
2
Seong Min Hong , “ Role of Turkmenistan on the New Silk Road in the 21st Century ,” RIES Newsletter 23 ( March , 2011 ): 8 , http :// hopia . net / hong / file / Role % 20of % 20Turkmenistan % 20Silk % 20Road . pdf ( accessed August 11 , 2020 ).
3
Timur Dadabaev , “ Silk Road ” as Foreign Policy Discourse : The Construction of Chinese , Japanese and Korean Engagement Strategies in Central Asia ,” Journal of Eurasian Studies 9 ( 2018 ): 37 .
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The rail transport route for moving freight and passengers overland between Pacific seaports in the Russian Far East and China , and seaports in Europe is known as the Eurasian Land Bridge ( sometimes named the New Silk Road or Belt ).
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The Asian Highway Network ( also known as the Great Asian Highway ) is a cooperative project signed between 32 countries of Asia and Europe to allow the highway to cross the continent and also reach to Europe aiming to improve the highway systems in Asia . Most of the funding comes from the larger , more advanced Asian nations like Japan , India , Nepal , Taiwan , South Korea and China as well as international agencies such as the Asian Development Bank . See Hong , “ Role of Turkmenistan ,” 9 .
4
Ibid .
5
Edward Allworth ed ., Central Asia , 130 Years of Russian Dominance : A Historical Overview , ( Durham : Duke University Press , 1994 ), 56 . 26