On Thursday, November 6, President Trump hosted leaders from five Central Asian countries at the White House for talks centered around critical minerals. This meeting showcased the U.S.’s active efforts to diversify supply chains and reduce reliance on China.
The leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan were all part of this important summit. In his opening remarks, President Trump expressed his intention to strengthen the partnership between the United States and these five countries collectively known as the “C5.”
“These countries are situated along the ancient Silk Road connecting East and West,” Trump said. “Today, they remain at the heart of the Eurasian continent, giving them incredible significance and unlimited potential. Sadly, previous U.S. presidents have entirely overlooked this region.”
Trump emphasized his understanding of the region’s importance and promised to make the U.S.’s partnerships with Central Asian countries “stronger than ever before.”
“One of the key items on our agenda is critical minerals,” he pointed out. “In recent weeks, my administration has expanded our critical minerals supply chains through agreements with allies and friendly nations worldwide, thereby enhancing America’s economic security.”
President Tokayev of Kazakhstan stated that this meeting marked the beginning of a “new era of U.S.-Central Asia interaction” and expressed confidence that Trump would bring forth “common sense and traditions that we both cherish.”
On Thursday, Trump also announced that Kazakhstan is the latest country to join the “Abraham Accords.”
According to the U.S. State Department, this year’s meeting focused on strengthening economic and cultural ties, including discussions with corporate executives.
This comes at a time when Russia and China are deepening their cooperation while the U.S. is competing for influence in the region against these two major authoritarian countries. It is worth noting that Central Asian countries themselves have significant economic ties with both China and Russia.
These countries in Central Asia have abundant mineral resources that could potentially serve as alternative supply sources for critical minerals for the United States, reducing its dependence on China. During his recent trip to Asia, Trump signed memorandums of understanding with Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand to enhance cooperation in critical mineral exploration, investment, and production, while safeguarding the industry from the influence of non-market actors like the Chinese Communist Party.
The U.S. President recently stated that within a year and a half, America’s complete reliance on China for critical minerals – a strategic vulnerability that has been brewing for thirty years – will no longer be an issue.