U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that the United States aims to compete for business in Central Asia without requiring regional partners to curb ties with China. The U.S. and five Central Asian governments have presented proposals to expand cooperation on minerals, infrastructure, and technology.
While speaking in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Rubio was asked how the United States could differentiate its offerings amid China’s growing influence in the region.
“It’s about competition,” Rubio noted. “We have products and companies that manufacture goods, and we simply seek a level playing field and the chance to compete fairly.”