In a clear move to counter China’s “Belt and Road” initiative, US President Donald Trump is set to host Central Asia’s five leaders for a summit, offering an American alternative for partnership.
The meeting is scheduled for November 6, according to the presidents of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. It follows a Chinese-C5 summit in June and a Russian one this month.
The US is vying for influence in the region, where a power vacuum has been created by the questioning of Russia’s traditional dominance since the Ukraine war.
The five nations, home to 80 million people, are not only resource-rich but are also strategically located as a potential trade hub, a role they are eager to revive.
This summit signals a more assertive US strategy, aimed at providing the C5 with economic and political options beyond those offered by Beijing and Moscow.