Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), and Mongolia all struggle with issues of ineffective domestic institutions, governance illegitimacy, and poor state, society relations that result in different levels of internal unrest and transnational threats. Far from a hypothetical scenario, China already faces security pressures from all the weak states on its borders. Applying these criteria to the fourteen states on China's periphery, the volume argues that eight are weak. These include Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Mongolia. Kyrgyzstan's weak institutions, political illegitimacy, and poor state, society relations present specific nontraditional security challenges for China that include the 'three forces' of terrorism, radicalisation, and separatism, and energy insecurity. One Silk Road Economic Belt, One Maritime Silk Road also includes China's development of economic corridors with Mongolia and Russia, with Pakistan, and with India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.