China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been a polarizing issue throughout the world, as some (usually international relations realists) view it as China’s desire to remake the world according to its plans.  Others (usually international relations liberals) view it as having the potential for, or indeed about, mutual benefit.  In this talk, I present findings from a public opinion survey that Alma Kudebayeva (KIMEP University and CERGE-EI Foundation) and myself conducted with university students in Almaty, Kazakhstan on how they view China’s BRI.  We found that while there is a general lack of knowledge regarding BRI, many still embrace negative views regarding China overall.  Moreover, we found that those who do not view democracy as about political and civil rights but instead equate it with economic development, consistently view China and its BRI in higher regard than those who view democracy as about political and civil rights.  In contrast to how the Chinese government has stated that people-to-people diplomacy is a central tenet of the BRI, we find that this is wanting.

Christopher B. Primiano is an assistant professor of international relations at KIMEP University.  Chris is the author of China, the UN and Human Rights: Implications for World Politics (Routledge Press).  In addition, his articles have appeared in Journal of Chinese Political Science, Peace Economics, Peace Science and Public Policy, East Asia, Asia Pacific Journal of Sport and Social Science, International Politics, China: An International Journal, China Report, and Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs.  He can be reached at c.primiano@kimep.kz