On October 6th, 2023, BYD auto(China) and Uzavtosanoat JSC(Uzbekistan) made even more progress towards their venture in making more electric and hybrid vehicles. BYD is a chinese owned auto business who in 2022 surpassed Tesla as the leading seller of electric vehicles while JSC is a mainly unimportant auto company stationed in Uzbekistan. The deal between the two auto companies allows BYD to build factories within Uzbekistan and employ Uzbeki workers to outsource their Chinese counterparts. Although a deal has been struck both companies and countries look to expand their relations again soon with other -stan countries.
This article relates to IR because of how influential big companies can be to a poor country. China took advantage of Uzbekistan’s need for a economic boost and forged a deal with them to improve relations while expanding Uzbekistan’s and their won economic power. This also is significant to IR because it shows how countries around China are beginning to waiver to the economic promises China has. This is also important because it lessens the U.S’s power in the -stan region of Central Asia and leaves India alone surrounded by communist backed countries like Pakistan and China who support each other both militarily and economically.
In conclusion we should turn our attention to the business deals that go on in Central Asia as it will give us some insight on how aggressive Chinas foreign policy is and how eager other countries around the world are to gain the Chinese economic support. We as IR students should also look to understand why some countries in Central Asia may begin to side with China and Russia rather than continue to work with the U.S and its ideologies, knowing this will help us in the future with other countries in Africa and eastern Europe to strengthen our alliances and military and economic power.
Link to website: https://eurasianet.org/central-asia-uzbekistan-and-china-moving-forward-on-electric-vehicle-joint-venture