Geopolitics of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway: a cooperative game theory perspective

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway discussed for decades and encountered setbacks due to disagreements over financing, route alignment, and geopolitical concerns, has finally commenced its initial construction steps. Nevertheless, due to existing geopolitical tensions around Central Asia, the railway still faces risks way forward. The main objective of this paper is to consider possible approaches to the implementation of the cooperative game theory for the relationship between the major actors of the railway project and implication of the geopolitical factor on its future prospects. By applying to the cooperative game theory, we can analyze the strategic decisions of China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan in the context of the railway project, as well as the influence of external actors. This approach can provide a structured way to understand the complexities of the geopolitical dynamics at play and predict potential outcomes