【Epoch Times, June 16, 2024】Amid the strengthening alliance between South Korea and Japan and the United States to contain China, Central Asian countries Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, which have traditionally been viewed by Russia as part of its sphere of influence and have seemingly good relations with China, welcomed South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol and his wife from the 10th to the 15th.
According to reports by the South Korean News Agency, Yoon Seok-yeol’s visit to Central Asia aimed to deepen supply chain cooperation and advance the “Korean-Central Asia K-Silk Road Project.” This initiative, launched by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration after the Indo-Pacific strategy and the joint concept with ASEAN, aims to combine South Korea’s innovative power with the development potential of Central Asia, including its abundant resources, to create a new model of cooperation.
In Turkmenistan, Yoon Seok-yeol held talks with President Berdimuhamedow in an atmosphere of “mutual understanding and trust,” discussing deepening cooperation in the economic, social, cultural fields, as well as exchanging views on regional and international issues of mutual concern. Following the talks, the two countries signed a joint statement and bilateral documents in areas such as energy, healthcare, foreign trade, transportation, urban construction, including the “Basic Agreement of the Fourth Phase Sulfur Removal Equipment Construction Project at the Galkynysh Gas Field” and the “Cooperation Agreement for the Second Stage Normalization of the Kiyangli Polymer Equipment.”
Yoon Seok-yeol also attended a business forum in Turkmenistan, delivering a keynote speech and expressing hopes for strengthening cooperation with South Korean enterprises in the energy and complete equipment sectors, as well as assisting Korean companies in entering the Turkmen market.
In Kazakhstan, Yoon Seok-yeol received a warm welcome. Based on reports by the Kazakh News Agency, an outline of Yoon Seok-yeol’s three-day itinerary can be understood. He arrived on the 11th. On the 12th, President Tokayev held a grand welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace, followed by small and large-scale talks between the two presidents.
During the talks, Tokayev referred to Yoon Seok-yeol’s visit as a “historic event.” Yoon Seok-yeol emphasized the prospects for deepening cooperation between the two countries and introduced South Korea’s “Silk Road” initiative. This initiative received strong support from Tokayev. Witnessed by the two presidents, Kazakhstan and South Korea signed 11 important documents.
On the 12th, Tokayev and Yoon Seok-yeol jointly attended the Kazakhstan-Korea Business Forum. That evening, they also attended a joint cultural event for artists from both countries. On the 13th, Prime Minister Beketayev met with Yoon Seok-yeol. They discussed further implementing agreements reached between the two presidents earlier, as well as expanding economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, enhancing interaction in industries such as industry, energy, and aviation. Subsequently, Tokayev bid farewell to Yoon Seok-yeol personally.
In Uzbekistan, Yoon Seok-yeol was also warmly welcomed, holding talks with President Mirziyoyev and deciding to elevate the bilateral relationship to a future-oriented strategic partnership. The two sides signed a total of 47 documents, including export contracts and memoranda of understanding, with the most noteworthy being the high-speed rail supply contract, valued at approximately 270 billion South Korean won (about 1.42 billion Chinese yuan). This marks the first successful export of South Korea’s domestically developed high-speed train.
South Korea also plans to tender various infrastructure projects in the second half of the year, with the “Tashkent-Angren High-Speed Highway” project reaching a scale of $5.35 billion, providing comprehensive support to South Korean enterprises. Additionally, South Korea and Uzbekistan signed the “Uzbekistan Regional Heating Modernization Cooperation Agreement,” with South Korea significantly increasing its loan ceiling to Uzbekistan from the current $1 billion to $2 billion.
Another aspect worth noting, reported by the South Korean News Agency, is that during the presidential meeting, “Uzbekistan urged North Korea to refrain from further threatening South Korea’s security and expressed support for North Korea’s complete denuclearization and compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions.” In fact, as early as when North Korea sank the Cheonan in 2010, Uzbekistan began supporting South Korea’s policies towards North Korea, including closing down the North Korean embassy in Uzbekistan.
The two presidents also participated in a business forum and Yoon Seok-yeol delivered a keynote speech. Following a joint meeting with Uzbek President Mirziyoyev and Yoon Seok-yeol, the two planted trees together in front of the Guesthouse in Uzbekistan, with the trees planted next to a tree planted by Putin in May this year.
Looking at Yoon Seok-yeol’s visit to the three Central Asian countries, the harvest has been quite fruitful, especially in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, where economic cooperation between South Korea and these countries is further strengthening, even garnering political support. It is reported that Yoon Seok-yeol will hold a meeting with leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan in South Korea next year, and launch the highest-level mechanism for cooperation between South Korea and Central Asia. This outcome has left both China and Russia displeased, albeit somewhat resigned.
For historical reasons, Russia has traditionally viewed Central Asia as its sphere of influence and a strategic buffer and buffer zone for its southern borders. Due to the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Western sanctions against Russia, financial markets in Central Asian countries have experienced severe turbulence, substantial currency devaluation, the need to reconstruct supply chains, industrial chains, and logistics chains in the region, and capital flight from the region due to interest-rate hikes by US, European, and China’s central banks. Central Asian countries face significant economic challenges.
For their own interests, Central Asian countries have chosen to remain “neutral” on the Ukraine issue, especially as Kazakh President Tokayev, in front of Putin and Xi Jinping, declared that Kazakhstan does not recognize the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk. He also stated that Kazakhstan will continue to maintain good diplomatic relations with Russia but will also develop and gradually integrate with the West, welcoming comprehensive exchanges with the West in areas such as economics, military, technology, and culture.
The attitudes of Central Asian countries and the circumstances that Russia cannot tend to have led the United States and Europe to strengthen economic and political relations with the five Central Asian countries while providing free aid. China also seeks to intervene opportunistically.
In May 2023, China hosted the China-Central Asia Summit in Xi’an, which was attended by presidents of the Central Asian countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Xi Jinping proposed the “Building a Closer China-Central Asia Community of Shared Destiny” in his speech and signed the “Xi’an Declaration” with the five presidents, as well as passing the “China-Central Asia Summit Results List.” Historically, China’s relations with the five Central Asian countries have been predominantly economic, with significant Chinese investments. However, China’s presence in Central Asia politically has been signaled through the summit. While the Central Asian countries have seemingly consented on the surface, each has its own intentions, depending on whether the promised funds are delivered.
Politically, economically, and militarily, Putin, relying on Beijing, naturally feels unhappy with Central Asia, but has not directly criticized Beijing. Instead, he has issued warnings to Central Asian countries, stating that while economic development with China is not an issue, serious consequences will follow if relationships with Russia are weakened.
After Putin’s re-election as president in May this year, he visited Uzbekistan after returning from Beijing, confirming with Kazakh President Tokayev during a phone call the mutual desire to further strengthen their alliance and strategic partnership. However, Russia, burdened by the war and strong Western sanctions, faces political and economic challenges, while China’s recent economic decline, declining fiscal revenues, and the depleting “Belt and Road” funds have led to reduced investments. As a “anti-China” alliance forms in the West, the five Central Asian countries do not remain ignorant of this situation. Unable to rely on Russia and China economically, their choice to enhance economic ties with the United States, the European Union, and other developed countries is not surprising. Yoon Seok-yeol’s visit provides new opportunities for Central Asian countries, and South Korea’s close economic relations with the three countries in Central Asia are one of the measures taken by Western countries to gradually reduce the influence of Russia and China on these nations.
While Yoon Seok-yeol was visiting Central Asia, the 15th meeting of the Central Asia-United States Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council was held in Astana, Kazakhstan, on June 13. Representatives from six countries including Kazakhstan, the United States, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan gathered to discuss the prospects for trade diversification and expanded investment cooperation.
In her address, U.S. Trade Representative Darcy emphasized the need for coordinated efforts to ensure sustainable economic growth among TIFA members. She stated, “The United States is keenly interested in improving trade quality, with a focus on key metals for automakers and semiconductor production.”
In his speech, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhubanaharin noted that against the backdrop of global economic instability, sanctions, trade frictions, and disruptions in global supply chains, the TIFA meeting provided a practical platform for all countries to “consult and determine future priority economic agendas.” This platform “will play a significant role in stabilizing the global economy by connecting Eastern and Western markets.”
In response to Yoon Seok-yeol’s and the United States’ foray, the beleaguered Moscow and Beijing, struggling politically and economically and facing strong Western sanctions, are displeased and resentful at the insertion of outside influences. However, they are also resigned, as the choices made by Central Asian countries are in their own interests. Compared to China and Russia, Beijing has gained more prestige in Central Asia. After all, how can a regime that treats its people very poorly win the trust of other nations?!