China's regional hegemony in Central Asia and the threat balance with Russia

Since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, China's presence in Central Asia has increased. Russia and China adhere to a functional division of duties in which China focuses on economic activities and Russia as the guarantor of regional security. The statement of the functional division of duties between the two governments has been questioned due to China's increasingly active presence in the military-security in the region; And China's influence throughout is increasing. Indeed, in Central Asia, a defensive Russia is facing an aggressive China. Also, the war in Ukraine will have a negative impact on the investment process and the future relations of Central Asia with Moscow, and the foreign policy and geopolitical image of the region must wait for the hegemony of China. The main question in this article is, despite the regional goals of Russia and China, what are the factors of Russia's decline and the evolution of China's role in Central Asia? The hypothesis of this research emphasizes that the growing difference between the two countries is due to their power capabilities; the interactions between Russia and China in Central Asia reveal this difference as the most vulnerable aspect of their relations. The theoretical basis of the article is based on the threat balance and the research method is descriptive-analytical. Also, the findings of the research in this regard argue that China, with its active presence in Central Asia and the establishment of a China-centered order in this region, has struck a regional balance against Russia through the One Belt One Road policy.