The rapidly evolving geopolitical and geostrategic landscape has heightened the importance of CPEC and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), positioning them as key drivers of socio-economic integration and trans-regional connectivity.
These initiatives offer a stabilizing framework amid rising uncertainties in the Middle East, the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, growing instability in the Arabian Sea, NATO’s eastward expansion in the Black Sea, US-led encirclement of China in the Asia-Pacific, the strategic race for port control in Latin America and India’s hegemonic ambitions in South Asia. As a result, the global contest over economic corridors has intensified.
Obviously, the CPEC and the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) have immense potential for financial integration, infrastructure development, trade, investment, joint venture and cooperation in qualitative industrialization. Hence both have potential for collaboration which should be tapped in the days to come providing an alternative route in Eurasia and beyond through Gwadar and Karachi dry port and keen interest of all the Central Asian countries mainly Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in Gwadar and moreover invitation to Türkiye in CPEC projects vividly reflecting bright prospects of amalgamation of both in the days to come.
Evidently, CPEC emphasizes infrastructure development and economic cooperation between China and Pakistan, while the OTS promotes cooperation among Turkic states across various sectors. It seems that there is potential for synergy in areas like transportation, maritime cooperation, energy & food and trade, particularly as both initiatives involve countries in Central Asia.
Similarly, the BRI aims to establish six main economic corridors. One of these corridors is China Central Asia West Asia Economic Corridor (CCWAEC), which begins in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and spans 17 West Asian nations, including Iran, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye and five Central Asian nations, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan promoting cooperation between the BRI and OTS further diversifying China’s trans-regional connectivity and strategic partnership options.
Additionally, the Central Asian Turkic States hold a strategic position for the BRI which has now entered into its second decade. Interestingly, the OTS which was founded in 2019 concurrently with the emergence of the multipolar world, is composed of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Türkiye as members and Turkmenistan, Hungary and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as observer members. Under BRI, transportation and energy corridors will run across Turkic states in this region consolidating partnership with OTS which is a good omen for both.
Undoubtedly, BRI stands for international cooperation and economic globalization while the OTS is regarded as a significant geostrategic and geopolitical platform. It is predicted that the OTS and its members’ potential collaboration and partnerships with other nations as active participants in BRI will bring about major changes in the international scene.
On the other hand, the increasing cooperation among Turkic states is a strategic regional response to intensifying great power competition and shifting geopolitical dynamics in Eurasia. Moreover, Pakistan’s foreign policy supports bilateral and trilateral cooperation and diplomatic ties with all Central Asian countries along with Türkiye which will create a matching box of CPEC-BRI and the OTS.
According to many published reports the OTS is approximately one-fourth the size of Russia and half the size of China, accounting for around three percent of the world’s total land mass highlighting its geographical importance which may be used for further strengthening of trans-regional connectivity and regional cooperation using CPEC-BRI utility in the days to come. The organization also focused on strengthening transport and energy connectivity, particularly along the Trans-Caspian East-West Corridor and fostered cooperation in areas like trade, investment, green and digital transformation.
In Q1 2025, the aggregate economic output of OTS countries reached approximately USD 593.8 billion, representing 2.1% of global GDP, with a stable average growth rate of 5.04%—more than double the global average of 2.3%—highlighting the region’s vast economic potential. This momentum could be further enhanced through strategic collaboration with CPEC-BRI. Additionally, total trade turnover amounted to USD 369.3 billion, accounting for 4.4% of global trade, underscoring the bloc’s rising trade competitiveness. Key sectors include energy, logistics, manufacturing and agro-exports, where countries like Türkiye, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan play pivotal roles as transit hubs and export corridors within the evolving Eurasian landscape.
Ironically, Kyrgyzstan achieved an extraordinary 13.1% year on year expansion, fueled by a surge in agricultural output and rising global demand for raw materials. Close behind were Northern Cyprus (6.4%), Uzbekistan (6.8%) and Turkmenistan (6.3%), all supported by strong public investment, resource sector growth and increasing foreign direct investment transforming their economies and communities towards greater prosperity and progress.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan led OTS growth through structural reforms, major infrastructure projects, and improved regulations, attracting foreign investment in energy, transport, and manufacturing. Kazakhstan saw 5.6% Q1 growth—its best since 2012—driven by oil and infrastructure. With OTS growth outpacing the global 2.3% average, the region’s economic dynamism and Eurasian relevance continue to rise.
Turkiye, backed by investor confidence and regional integration, highlights the Turkic region’s growing appeal for productive capital, contingent on fiscal and regulatory stability. Meanwhile, green and digital transitions gain traction, with Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan leading Q1 2025. Azerbaijan’s COP29-backed Caspian-Black Sea Green Energy Corridor aims to export renewables to Europe using solar, wind and hydrogen resources.
In summary, the write suggests that OTS policymakers should promote trans-regional connectivity with CPEC-BRI to eliminate Trump-era trade wars and shield their societies from Cold War mentalities and potential military misadventures. The global power shift from West to East positions Türkiye—geo-strategically located at the center—as key to regional realignments. As a bridge between Asia and Europe, Türkiye and the OTS are vital to BRI’s success. Turkiye’s potential BRICS membership and SCO Dialogue Partner status—alongside Russia, China, Iran, and others—underscore its growing geopolitical weight. Its deepening ties with Russia and expanding BRI cooperation with China reinforce this. Meanwhile, the U.S. is re-engaging in Central Asia to secure rare earth resources and counter Russia-China influence, which should alert the OTS. Severing China-Europe ties remains central to U.S. policy, making BRI a target. Still, CPEC-BRI–OTS synergy promises a win-win in connectivity, industrial growth, energy and food security, socio-economic integration, trade, investment, and joint ventures.
