ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in the preceding chapters of this book. The book argues that Russia and China have been undergoing a peaceful power transition at all levels of their relationship, bilateral, regional and global. To explain and understand this evolution of their relationship it is insufficient to analyse Russia-China dynamics solely in terms of their respective national interests, geopolitical response to US primacy or regional and global power projection, in terms of a strategic interaction. The analysis of Russia-China relations in the wider neighbourhood of Central and East Asia demonstrates that it is China that has gained the upper hand at the regional level. Consequently, Central Asia represents the most acute manifestation of the Russia-China peaceful power transition in the regional dimension. External factors played an important role in the Russia-China power transition. Domestic politics is potentially the most destabilising factor in the Russia-China power transition.
