The Competition Of Russia And The United States In Kyrgyzstan And Its Impact On Kyrgyzstan’s Political Change

After gaining its independence from Russia, Kyrgyzstan set up a Western-stylesystem of government in politics and implemented the policy of thebalance-of-diplomatic because of its own national conditions and the internationalenvironment. With the discovery of the Caspian Sea energy and the competing ofRussia and the United States, Central Asia had been one of the areas competed byRussia and the United States. Because Kyrgyzstan is located in a strategic position inCentral Asia, and its implementation of domestic and foreign policy had facilitatedthe entry of external forces, therefore, Kyrgyzstan became the focus and the epitomeof Russian-US rivalry in Central Asia. After "9.11", the U.S. army entered andstationed in Central Asia in the name of anti-terrorism. Around the Manas Base inKyrgyzstan, Russia and the United States launched a fierce competition. The UnitedStates affected Kyrgyzstan politics through the policy of promoting democratic andtraining opposition; While Russia kept its traditional influence in the country throughstrengthening relation with the Askar Akayev government. Under the instigation ofthe United States, the "March Events" came out in Kyrgyzstan in2005.After "March Events", the influence of U.S. declined in Kyrgyzstan. Accordingto this, the United States changed the policy in Kyrgyzstan that it strengthened theeconomic relation with Kyrgyzstan to make the base still in the country.WhileRussia strengthened the bilateral relations with Kyrgyzstan in politic and economy,its influence had been growing. Under the influence of the international financialcrisis in2008, Kyrgyzstan had more economic dependence on Russia. But Bakiyevwas inconsistent on the Manas Base made Russia apply economic sanctions againstKyrgyzstan. The deterioration in the Kyrgyzstan economy, the high corruption ofBakiyev’s family, the growing contradictions between government and theopposition triggering political turbulence in2010. After Bakiyev surrendered,Kyrgyzstan decided to adopt parliamentarianism by referendum, Kyrgyzstan enteredthe period of parliamentarianism.This thesis clarifies the policy evolution of Russia and the United States inKyrgyzstan and the relations between it and the political evolution by analysing thecompetition of the countries since the independence of Kyrgyzstan, and makes therelevant forecast, which provides certain model for Chinese policies to Kyrgyzstan.