Great powers vie for influence in resource-rich Central Asia

The United States, Russia, and China are intensifying their competition for influence in Central Asia, highlighted by recent high-level visits from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, as the region's strategic location and vast resources of oil, gas, and rare earths make it a key geopolitical prize. Rubio arrived in Samarkand on Sunday leading a delegation of over 200 business representatives, while Li Qiang was in Tashkent the previous day promising cooperation on critical minerals and artificial intelligence. Central Asian states maintain strong ties with all three powers, as evidenced by their participation in both the US-led C5+1 summit and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, whose recent Bishkek Declaration condemned US sanctions and the war against Iran. The region's governments have become adept at playing the great powers against each other, with Kazakhstan joining the pro-Israel Abraham Accords while also hosting a Russian-built nuclear plant and serving as a transit corridor for Chinese goods. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are also seeking greater international prominence through UN Security Council seats.