Discussing Sinophobia in Kyrgyzstan

This paper investigates how Chinese migrants are perceived by different groups in Kyrgyzstan—and in what domains local people turn to Sinophobia. To date, Kyrgyzstani political leaders have tended to be Sinophilic, whereas bazaar traders and ordinary citizens, fearing large inflows of Chinese migrants, are Sinophobic. The article paints a picture of Chinese migrants’ lives in Bishkek and their negative and positive experiences with local people. It concludes by demonstrating that lay people and radical nationalist groups alike deploy Sinophobic rhetoric in relation to China and Chinese immigrants living in Kyrgyzstan.

Author

• Kyzy, Aizat Shailoobek

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.30965/22142290-bja10001

Keyword

• Chinese migrants
• Kyrgyz nationalists
• Sinophobia
• discrimination
• conspiracy theories

Date created

• 2021

Type of Work

• Article

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Central Asian Affairs Journal

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/work/2z10wq93x

In Collection:

• Central Asian Affairs

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