Central Asia’s New Social Credit System

The new social credit system in parts of Central Asia will see increased state surveillance measures. (Wikimedia Commons)

China introduced a social credit system in parts of Central Asia to reinforce its power and further its Belt and Road Initiative. This social credit system will allow governments to more closely monitor their citizens, making it easier for the Chinese government to punish undesirable actions. According to the Diplomat, “the exact list of undesired behaviors have remained secret, but the punishments are as real as the perks.”

While digitizing the means by which criminals are caught can create a stronger legal state, it can also limit the political power of individuals living in these countries. With this system, China has been able to crack down on illegal actions and by September 2018, 14.6 million people deemed “untrustworthy” by the system were banned from buying airplane tickets.

In 2019, the Uzbek and Chinese governments closed a $1 billion deal to further surveillance in their countries. The repercussions of this system in Central Asia include more dictatorial regimes and a very present threat for many immigrants in the area. 883 new cameras are being developed in Uzbekistan and almost 2000 cameras have been deployed in Kazakhstan; however, in 2018, the Kyrgyz government decided to turn down an offer to work with China’s surveillance system and opted instead to work with Russia’s new system.

This system appeals to many authoritarian regimes, as it allows for closer surveillance. To China, this system could prove to be particularly profitable in terms of the new Belt and Road Initiative. According to the Diplomat, a handbag producer could use this data to determine the preferences of their consumer and adjust not only the products but also trade prices based on the information.