Rising Sinophobia in Kyrgyzstan: The Role of Political Corruption

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Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Middle East Technical University, Turkey

Approval Date: 2020

Student: Doğukan Baş

Supervisor: PINAR KÖKSAL

Abstract:

In recent years, one of the major problems that Kyrgyzstan witnesses is rising Sinophobia among the local people due to problems related with increasing Chinese economic presence in the country. While Sinophobia surfaces as anti-Chinese public demonstrations and violent assaults against Chinese citizens residing in Kyrgyzstan, political corruption scandals around China’s economic activities shape perceptions of the Kyrgyz people negatively toward their government officials and Chinese companies operating in Kyrgyzstan. This thesis explores political corruption in Kyrgyzstan and reasons of Sinophobia among the Kyrgyz people specifically referring to the impact of political corruption in anti-Chinese public demonstrations in Kyrgyzstan.