Glocal Soft Power as an Instrument of China’s Strategic Influence in the South Caucasus: A New Model of Integration and Geopolitical Consequences
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46991/JOPS/2025.4.10.064Keywords:
glocal soft power, strategic influence, foreign policy strategy, geopolitics, geoeconomics, China, Türkiye, South Caucasus, Belt and Road InitiativeAbstract
The article analyzes the global and regional importance of the South Caucasus region for China from an economic point of view, primarily as a market for its goods, as an area for investment. Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are part of China’s global bridge to Türkiye and the countries of the EU, which are the most important partners and necessary for China’s rapidly developing economy. In addition, the countries of the South Caucasus have both resource potential and a favorable geographical position with access to the Caspian and Black seas, so China actively interacts with Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. The article examines the issues of China’s soft power, which has begun to conduct active public diplomacy for strategic influence on the foreign policy of the South Caucasus and with the states bordering this region. The main focus is on the implementation of China not only humanitarian projects, but also its economic projects, such as the Belt and Road Initiative. As a result, significant successes of China are highlighted and characterized, which, thanks to the voluntary participation of these countries interested in new investments, in creating an atmosphere of mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation. It is emphasized that, given the current geopolitical and regional realities, the countries of the South Caucasus have the opportunity to become a regional part of Chinese global projects.
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