Yunis Sharifli
Yunis Sharifli is a research fellow at the Central Asia Barometer. His research areas cover Chinese foreign policy in the context of Beijing’s relations with Russia and Central Asia. He also works as a junior research fellow at the Caucasian Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies (QAFSAM) in Azerbaijan.
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Articles by Yunis Sharifli
Beijing Revives China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway
Executive Summary: Beijing, Bishkek, and Tashkent signed a joint agreement in June to finance and begin constructing the oft-discussed China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway by October 2024. After many years of discussion, China
Increased Reliance on Russia and Commitments to China Driving Uzbekistan’s Gas Imports
Executive Summary: Uzbekistan has been dealing with severe energy shortages over the past few years due to issues in gas production and a transition to using more imported gas for
Growing Russian-Iranian Partnership Along the North-South Corridor
In a recent development, on May 17, Russia and Iran officially signed an agreement for the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway (Kremlin.ru, May 17). This railway project holds immense significance
China’s Growing Economic Power in Uzbekistan
Against the backdrop of the Russo-Ukrainian war and fluctuating relations between Kazakhstan and Russia, Uzbekistan is gaining strategic importance for China as a potential stable emerging market in Central Asia.
Uzbekistan: An Aspiring Transport Hub for Central Asia
Throughout the Russo-Ukrainian war and a period of tense relations between Russia and Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan has followed a proactive track of transport diplomacy to strengthen its geopolitical and geo-economic position
Optimization Efforts to Improve Transit Through the Critical Middle Corridor
The Russian-Ukrainian war and Western sanctions against Moscow have limited the effectiveness of Russia as a transit country, especially in land-based trade relations between the European Union and China. In
Middle Corridor: Potential Alternative to Russian Railways?
The Russo-Ukrainian war has cast doubt on the sustainability of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative’s (BRI) “Northern Corridor” because of mounting Western sanctions on this overland route’s key links—Russia