Rubio visited Uzbekistan to attend the C5+1 summit. On Monday in Samarkand, he stated that the United States seeks commercial opportunities in Central Asia "only for fair competition and access," without demanding that Central Asian nations cease cooperation with China. Following the C5+1 meeting, the U.S. and the governments of the five Central Asian countries issued a joint statement outlining ambitions to expand mineral extraction and processing, improve transportation connectivity, and develop regional supply chains. The statement also committed to sharing expertise in geological data and promoting high-value products manufactured in Central Asia. It emphasized further development of trans-Caspian trade routes, along with improvements to customs procedures and regional industrial collaboration, as mechanisms to enhance trade and investment ties with the United States. The statement called for digital cooperation using “secure and trustworthy technologies” and sought to broaden opportunities for Central Asian businesses to invest in and operate within the U.S. market. Much of the statement focused on aspirational goals rather than concrete projects; it did not mention China by name, nor did it specify funding totals, individual mining projects, or implementation timelines. Rubio noted that nearly 300 American companies were accompanying him, with some firms having already reached agreements to be announced later.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1879542477735946/
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