US launches commercial diplomacy push in Central Asia to counter China, Russia

Secretary of State Marco Rubio leads a 200-member business delegation to Central and South Asia, including a C5+1 summit in Samarkand, to secure alternative energy and rare earth supply chains. This marks a notable US offensive to counter Chinese trade dominance and exploit receding Russian influence in the region. The initiative signals a strategic shift toward economic statecraft in Central Asia, though concrete outcomes remain uncertain.