HAN CHINESE MIGRANTS IN KAZAKHSTAN UNDER THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE

Abstract

Chinese migrants are widespread all over the world, but in recent years their footprints have begun to reach Central Asia, a destination mainly for ethnic minorities migrants from Xinjiang. Especially after the Belt and Road Initiative, the number of Han Chinese migrants in Kazakhstan has become apparent. However, the appearance of Han Chinese migrants is discussed in terms of China's expansion, and the resulting fear makes people speculate about the purpose of these Chinese migrants. This research attempts to respond to the suspicions of local people through direct communication with Han Chinese migrants. It is argued in this study that the large number of Han Chinese migrants in Kazakhstan should not be discussed as a homogeneous migrant group as shown in the previous literature but as more specific and independent migrant individuals. It is founded that the Han Chinese migrant group in Kazakhstan is composed of self-employed traders, company expatriates, and students. Han Chinese migrants in Kazakhstan possess three common characteristics that they do not speak Kazakh but some with Russian speaking ability, seldom form contact networks with local people, and they only choose to live in Kazakhstan for a short time. In addition, the Han Chinese migrants also show diverse and independent motivation for their migration decision. Basically, they are driven by the Belt and Road Initiative and attracted by the economic benefits in Kazakhstan. Furthermore, their migration decision is the representation of their personal migratory agency and the social change between these two countries.