The processes of integration of the Eurasian Economic Union and Chinese "Belt and road" initiative within the framework of the "greater Eurasian partnership" concept

The objective of the research is to analyze the processes of integration of the Belt and road initiative (BRI) and EAEU within the framework of the Greater Eurasian Partnership (GEP) concept. The author used in the study such sources as the legislative documents and other materials from official websites of EAEU institutions and government bodies of China and the EAEU member states, statistical data and analytical factsheets of international organizations, the materials of news agencies. The paper discusses the main directions of cooperation within the framework of integration; characterizes the concept of the Greater Eurasian Partnership; studies the mechanisms of cooperation between China and the EAEU; identifies the key problems of the cooperation processes. The research reached the following conclusions. Despite the official statements of the EAEU and China representatives about successful development of the integration process between two complex projects, its practical dimension still is in the early stages of development. Since the launch of the integration, none of multilateral projects have been implemented and a roadmap for cooperation is yet to be developed. An additional negative factor hindering effective integration in Eurasia is the different views of China and Russia towards implementation of the GEP, and a place of EAEU and BRI integration in it. Considering the growing tensions between Russia and Western countries, Moscow sees Greater Eurasia as the foundation for an alternative non-western international order. Beijing, on the other hand, seeks to preserve the existing international system in one form or another, despite its growing political tensions with the US and EU countries. Chinese BRI economic activity analysis in the EAEU countries indicates that China prefers bilateral approach towards cooperation. Since 2015 Beijing signed memorandums of understanding under the Belt and Road Initiative with 3 EAEU members (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus) and have been implementing a number of agreements on the construction of infrastructure projects. Chinese state and private companies are also actively investing in the construction of infrastructure and other projects in the region. China's actions indicate that it will continue to pursue a bilateral format of cooperation and develop an individual approach to each BRI participant, despite the uncertainties this brings to the key foundations of multilateral cooperation within integration process.