Vol 10, No 2 (2018)

The Karakoram-Himalayan region is the cradle from where ancient Indian culture including Buddhism spread to different directions in Central Asia, East Asia and South East Asia. Gilgit, Chilas, Chitral, Baltistan, Ladakh, Zanskar and other frontier areas have been important mileposts on the famous Silk Route. Buddhist savants from India contributed to the spread of Buddhism in Central Asia and East Asia. One of the eminent scholars was Kumarajiva (344-413 AD) who broke political, geographical, cultural and linguistic barriers for propagation of Buddhism. Hieun Tsiang mentions four important centres of Buddhism in Central Asia - Shan-shan (Kroraina), Khotan, Kucha and Turfan. Kashmir played an important role in introducing Buddhism to Khotan, which in turn played a key role in the transmission of Buddhism to China. Several important places on the Silk Route system such as Kucha, Balkh, Bamiyan, Khotan, Kashgar etc. developed into important centres of Buddhism when parts of Central Asia and north-western India were integrated into a single kingdom under the Kushans.)

The article considers the concept of cultural diplomacy and mechanisms of its implementation on the example of Russia and China. Many Russian and foreign researchers emphasize connection between the cultural diplomacy and the public diplomacy. According to them, the cultural diplomacy is a basis of the public diplomacy, which manifests itself in maintaining and developing contacts with other nations and peoples in the fields of culture, science and education. The objective of the public diplomacy is to create a positive image of the country abroad. The author gives as an example the culture diplomacy of Russia and China, due to both countries successfully promote Russian and Chinese languages, their culture and traditions.

The rapid entry of the People’s Republic of China into the number of the most influential actors in the world political arena attracts close attention and causes interest of many politicians, researchers, scientists and the general public. China is currently a fast-growing state that has steadily demonstrated rapid growth of its economic potential in recent decades. That certainly provides opportunities for development of the political empowerment. China’s success in international affair is largely the consequence of its active regional policy. After the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on 26 December 1991, China was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of 15 new states. In 1991 and 1992 it established diplomatic relations with each of them. The PRC is at present pursuing a multidirectional policy towards all the CIS member states, in particular regarding Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. In this article the author examines the role of Ukraine and Moldova in the PRC regional policy. Based on the results of the analysis, it is concluded that the PRC attaches importance to Ukraine and Moldova in terms of economy and geopolitics.

The article contains materials on the relationship between China and the peoples of Southern Siberia in antiquity and the Middle Ages. The periods of antiquity can be reconstructed on the basis of archaeological materials. These are scientific publications of archaeological research of the most important monuments, albums of finds, etc. In addition, in the article, reports on the survey and excavation of archaeological sites on the territory of Southern Siberia from the Scientific and Branch Archive of the Institute of Archeology of the RAS for 1945-1965 are given as sources, the data from which were used in the study. They contain information that bronze and iron on the territory of this region appeared much earlier than in China. Given the complex of data, the article proves the assumption that it was through the mediation of the peoples of Southern Siberia that bronze (in the 2nd millennium BC) and iron (in the 8th century BC) fall into the northern regions of China, and from there spread throughout its territory, acquiring specific features of manufacturing technology and design.

Islamic thought is a synthesis of different cultural elements. It includes elements of both Iranian and antique heritage, but it’s foundation is the Quranic text that was not just a product of Arabic culture, it has become a basis for the genesis of the classical arabic literature, thought and art. This article will try to demonstrate the Quranic text influence on the Ibn Arabi’s diverse writings as well as the Iranian one.

The long-term process of a tectonic shift in the chessboard of world affairs has led to the historical formation of different types of wars. The term ‘new’ is not solely used to describe the new reality of warfare itself, but it is wildly used to outline the multiple aspects of renewed nature of war as well the emerged dimensions of it. Conflicts of today’s show that the weapons of the past are never ideally suited to the future. Mobile, undeclared and at the same unregulated wars lead to the fundamental transformation in the field of military doctrines testimonies. Those who are able to adjust the official military doctrine with newly emerged dimensions of war will be in safe for several decades or more.