PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA'S EFFORTS IN MANAGING ITS MILITARY AND DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE IN STRENGTHENING ITS SPHERE OF INFLUENCE IN CENTRAL ASIA TO SECURE ITS BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE (2017 – 2019)

Abstract

China has a desire to improve their country to achieve the golden age that they used to. China has become the second-largest economic country and the third-largest military country through the Chinese leaders' ambition and strategy. It was started from China to improve their capabilities in the whole sphere, like the economic, military and security, political, and diplomatic Afterward the improvement of China, many countries will recognize who is China and its power, which make China will get along with the other country and make bilateral cooperation that shows the win-win solution as a result. This thesis tries to analyze China's efforts in managing the military and diplomatic presence in strengthening the influences in Central Asia to secure China's economic project, the Belt and Road Initiatives, from 2017 to 2019. In analyzing the cases, this thesis will use a qualitative methodology based on primary and secondary resources. This research finds several main findings. First, about China's military strategy under President Hu Jintao's administration. Even though it is a continuity of Mao Zedong's military strategies theory, President Hu Jintao shows his enthusiasm and desire to improve China's military presence, making China's military power recognize other countries. Second, President Hu Jintao approached the Central Asia countries right after the collapse of the Soviet Union, making China the first country that had a bilateral agreement with them. Third, the development of China's foreign policy, while under President Xi Jinping, bring a lot of significant impact on China's sovereignty, like the Anti-Corruption campaign. Last but not least is China's improvement. From the rich country under the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907), it become the most impoverished country for almost 70 years, but through the desire to emerge from isolation, China's finally proudly step up towards the other golden age