Chances and Challenges for Kazakhstan, the EU and Austria in Chinese project “New Silk Road”

Abstract

Today, the geopolitical, geostrategic and geo-economic significance of the silk road transport corridor connecting Western China and Western Europe complements new research areas. In this regard, the article will also examine the role of Kazakhstan, Austria, the European Union in the project “one belt – one road” in the course of participation in this project, opportunities, readiness for challenges, advantages and threats, namely, both positive and weak, negative sides in the case of participation in the project in the analyzed countries. In General, the issues of participation in the implementation of this project and the effective use of new opportunities and advantages of regional cooperation were conducted in accordance with the concept of foreign policy of the participating countries on the basis of theoretical analysis. As a key final thought, pointing out that the post-Soviet countries (including Kazakhstan) and the countries of the Western European EU (including Austria) relate to this project from different points of view, the Asian vector of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy due to its geopolitical position is the object of intense competition from regional and non-regional powers.