«IZVESTIYA IRKUTSKOGO GOSUDARSTVENNOGO UNIVERSITETA». SERIYA «POLITOLOGIYA. RELIGIOVEDENIE»
«THE BULLETIN OF IRKUTSK STATE UNIVERSITY». SERIES «POLITICAL SCIENCE AND RELIGION STUDIES»
ISSN 2073-3380 (Print)

List of issues > Series «Political Science and Religion Studies». 2024. Vol 49

Sino-American-Russian Competition and Cooperation in Central Asia: Through the Optics of Game Theory

Author(s)
Cao Huan
Abstract
Geopolitical games of great powers influence the global and regional situation. Since the end of the Cold War, Central Asia has become the focus of the world's attention as an independent geopolitical unit. China, the United States and Russia, as three important centers in the world, have subsequently formulated the Central Asian strategy according to their interests, and Central Asia has become a playing field for great power games. Based on the literature analysis, this paper presents two game theory models, “stag hunt game” and “truel”, and analyzes the rivalry and cooperation of China, the United States and Russia in Central Asia in security, geopolitical and economic aspects respectively. The conclusions are that in the security field, which is mainly related to counterterrorism, the three countries should have a high degree of mutual political trust and choose cooperation, thus achieving the Pareto optimum in the “stag hunt game”. In terms of geopolitics and economics, the U.S. is the strongest state and is on a strategic offensive against China and Russia. On the other hand, the weaker China and Russia have chosen mutual trust and cooperation, achieving a geopolitical and economic optimum in Central Asia.
About the Authors
Cao Huan, Postgraduate, Department of Comparative Politics, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, 6, Miklukho-Maklay st., Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation, e-mail: 1042215269@pfur.ru
For citation

Cao Huan. Sino-American-Russian Competition and Cooperation in Central Asia: Through the Optics of Game Theory. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Political Science and Religion Studies, 2024, vol. 49, pp. 74-87. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2024.49.74 (in Russian)

Keywords
deer hunting game, shooters' game, China, US, Russia, Central Asia strategy.
UDC
327
DOI
https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3380.2024.49.74
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