US goes on the offensive in Central Asia
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio headed to Central and South Asia on Oct 17 to boost commercial ties and gain an edge over Russia and China, leading a delegation of 200 business leaders to Uzbekistan. On Oct 19 he will take part in a C5+1 ministerial meeting in Samarkand with ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. After Uzbekistan he will visit Mumbai and Jamnagar in India, where a senior US official said Washington was “very close” to a trade deal.
Why it matters: The trip illustrates geoeconomics in practice, as Washington uses commercial diplomacy and energy and minerals deals to counter Russian and Chinese influence in Central Asia while pursuing a trade agreement with India.