Why Central Asia cares little about Trump's victory
Báo Tin Tức•10/11/2024
While Mr Trump’s victory has drawn attention in many parts of the world, Central Asian countries have remained indifferent and cautious. With a history of failed cooperation with the US, countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have learned to maintain a pragmatic foreign policy and not to be tied to any one power.
Donald Trump speaks to supporters at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Florida, November 6, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/TTXVN
According to the Sabah Daily (Türkiye) on November 9, while the US and many countries are "excited" about the return of Donald Trump, the Central Asian region has shown a rather lackluster attitude. For leaders from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan, they do not see much reason to expect that Mr. Trump's "America First" policy will bring significant benefits to the region. Bruce Pannier, a veteran journalist on the region, frankly commented: "Central Asia may almost disappear from the US foreign policy 'radar'. Mr. Trump did not care much about Central Asia when he was the first US president, even when the US military was still present in Afghanistan." This indifference has deep roots in past broken promises. Washington's goals of "promoting democracy, curbing Russian influence and protecting energy resources" have not achieved the desired results. History shows that the US-Central Asian relationship has gone through many ups and downs. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the United States had a “golden opportunity” to exert influence in the region. Central Asian countries, especially Kazakhstan with its large oil and uranium reserves, were once high on Washington’s radar. However, the United States underestimated the complexity of Central Asian societies. Historical ties to Russia, complex family structures, and the challenges of nation-building created many obstacles. Efforts to push for rapid economic reform often backfired, leading to increased inequality and corruption. After 9/11, Central Asia gained renewed attention as a military logistics hub in Afghanistan. The United States established bases in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. However, tensions over human rights led to Uzbekistan expelling US troops in 2005, and the Manas base in Kyrgyzstan closed in 2014.
Central Asian leaders today pursue a more pragmatic foreign policy. As Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has said: “We don’t believe in zero-sum games. We want to replace the ‘Great Game’ with the ‘Great Good’ for all.” Chinara Esengul of the Peace Nexus Foundation says: “Effective geopolitics for Central Asia is not to align too closely with the United States or any other power, but to maintain an equal distance from all the superpowers.” However, there is still room for cooperation, especially in the fields of minerals and technology. Bruce Pannier points out that the United States has recently placed more emphasis on business relations with Central Asia, largely due to its need for strategic raw materials. Washington is also interested in developing an East-West trade corridor to avoid Russia. It can be said that Central Asia's reserved attitude towards Mr. Trump's victory in the US is the result of the region's historical experience and pragmatic approach to international relations.
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