As noted in a recent Central Asia News article, China and Kazakhstan signed several bilateral agreements during the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao, which some observers and analysts say will galvanize the development of Kazakh-Chinese relations. Among the most notable were agreements on:

“…an extension of the Sino-Kazakh Atasu-Alashankou oil pipeline, linking mainland China to the Caspian Sea, giving Beijing direct access to an energy-rich region controlled by Kazakhstan; and

…Kazakh President Nazarbayev’s presentation of a draft of strategy for creating an Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) energy agency, which would be a type of “brain center” and database…”

There can be little doubt of China’s increasing interest in firming its relationship with oil-rich Central Asia. It will be intriguing to watch this play out in the years ahead — will it possibly lead to a new Great Game between Russia and China over this resource rich part of the world?