Since the launching of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2014, China’s Area Studies Programmes have witnessed an observable growth—both in terms of funding and the intellectual attention dedicated. As key participants of BRI, Central Asian countries, such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, have accordingly emerged as topical subjects for academic research. The purpose of this project is to investigate 1) how knowledge about these Central Asian countries is currently constructed by Chinese scholars; 2) what are the main features of Chinese knowledge production of that region; and 3) what are the current challenges and opportunities for Chinese knowledge production on Central Asia? For students of international studies, this is an opportunity to engage deeply with key scholars from Area Studies, and understand how and why specific knowledge about Central Asia is produced within China’s Area Studies Programmes.