The article examines the main economic and geostrategic interests of the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation in Central Asia. The foreign policy strategies of both countries in Central Asia, the reasons for the active foreign policy of Beijing, the difficulties in the way of cooperation between China and Russia with the countries of this region are analyzed. In addition, the article examines potential problems in relations between Moscow and Beijing related to the rivalry between the two countries for expanding their influence in Central Asia, economic projects of the Russian Federation and China, issues of ensuring security in the post-Soviet space, threats of terrorism, extremism, separatism, military-technical cooperation among Russia and the Central Asian republics. The features of the foreign policy course of Moscow and Beijing in the postSoviet space and the ways of further cooperation are revealed.