On November 6, America will Host a meeting of Central Asian governments:Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Founded in 2015, the group, informally known as C5+1The goal is to “enhance cooperation to advance regional solutions to global challenges…”.
This is President Trump’s first meeting with all the leaders, although he has met with Presidents UzbekistanAnd kazakhstanAt the United Nations General Assembly session in September. Uzbekistan’s leadership, led by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, has played a key role in deepening regional cooperation – it borders the other four republics and Afghanistan – while maintaining constructive relations with the US, China and Russia.
Now, with his condition asean meetingIn the rearview mirror, Trump will arrive in good mood, reinforced by some earlier economic diplomacy with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to grease the wheels: the sale of boeing 787 dreamlinerAnd Wabtec Corporation LocomotiveThe president will likely advocate for more contracts with American companies, especially over access to critical minerals, but he faces some competition from China.
Belt and Road InitiativeIt is the primary way for China to connect with Central Asia. When outbound investment declined in 2020-2022, we weretold From expertsIt was failing to achieve its goals and Chinese officials had wasted a trillion dollars. It appears we have been misinformed.
as per latest China Belt and Road Initiative Investment Report 2025The first half of 2025 saw the highest participation for any six-month period, with $66 billion and $57 billion invested in construction contracts. The total participation since the launch of the program in 2013 has reached $1.3 trillion.
Of that record participation, $39 billion went to Africa and $25 billion to Central Asia. On a per capita basis this is quite surprising, given that Africa has a population of about 1.5 billion and Central Asia only about 84 million.
In fact, the Belt and Road Initiativeset new recordsin oil and gas, coal, green energy, metals and mining, and technology and manufacturing. Importantly, the investments were “driven by private sector companies,” not by state-owned enterprises.
The presidents of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have invited Trump to visit the region and may pressure him to do so again. If Trump accepts, he would likely bring together a group of American businessmen and investors to push the pace for the Boeing and Wabtec contracts. Now the time has come that the US President should also visit this region. Russia’s Vladimir Putin has already made 77 tourand China’s Xi Jinping 15 have been made.
The republics are receptive to American investment and trade. Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan are WTO members; Neutral Turkmenistan is an observer, and Uzbekistan is completing the accession process. Uzbekistan in Octobercompleted successfullyNegotiations with 27 EU member states on market access, export and import tariffs and concessions on services – a major milestone.
Trump could boost trade between the US and Central Asia by pressuring Congress to repeal itJackson-Vanich AmendmentA Cold War Relic That Stands in the Waypermanent normal trade relationsCentral Asia would welcome educational and cultural exchanges as well as technical assistance in water resources management. facing areachronic water shortageTill 2028.
Of course, while the former Soviet republics are friendly to the US, they are also willing to cooperate with neighboring Russia and China; Hopefully Washington will have the political maturity to understand this. The republic is also working with the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan and sees the Islamic emirate as an investment opportunity and host of transport links to Asia. Likewise with Iran, which hosts ports in Bandar Abbas and Chabahar and a market of more than 90 million people.
nightingale intelligence The border dispute between Afghanistan and Pakistan has disrupted trade flows and redirected Afghan trade away from Pakistan towards Iran, Central Asia and Russia, the report said. Border violence will dim Central Asia’s hopes Trans-Afghan RailwayConnecting Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, construction of which started in 2025.
The question for Central Asia is whether the US will block new trade flows as part of its “maximum pressure” campaign against the Islamic Republic? Trump has threatened some members 100 percent tariff If he thinks they are weakening the US dollar, but Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are doing so partner countryWill they face penalties as a result?
Republicans must also resist accommodating and promoting Trump’s desire to regain power bagram airfieldIn the wake of the 9/11 attacks, permission to uzbekistan The US used its territory from 2001 to 2005 to launch punitive operations against al-Qaeda and the Taliban, but those days are over. Central Asia sees Afghanistan as a country that can be annexed, not abandoned or attacked.
The Trump meeting represents an incredible opportunity for partnership and business. This could be a win-win for all parties – if the US exercises the required patience.
james dursoA regular commentator on foreign policy and national security matters, he served in the US Navy for 20 years and has served in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
