US Secretary of State Marco Rubio secures $12 billion in Uzbekistan
Competing with China for influence in Central Asia, State Marco Rubio—the US Secretary of—brought a delegation of nearly 300 American business representatives to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on October 19, 2025, where they finalized 54 agreements totaling $12 billion.
Samarkand Business Forum Yields $12 Billion in Deals
The delegation’s arrival in Uzbekistan materialized after months of rhetoric regarding trade ties following President Trump’s return to office in January 2025. Prior to the Samarkand meetings, talk had consistently out-paced actual American dealmaking in the region. That dynamic shifted during the October 19 business forum, where Rubio held talks with foreign ministers from all five Central Asian states.
Deals signed during the visit cover industry, transport, energy infrastructure, critical minerals, the financial sector, digital technologies, agriculture, healthcare, and education. Uzbek media, citing the Uzbek Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, detailed the $12 billion portfolio. Among the announcements, locomotive-maker Wabtec agreed to localize production of railway equipment under CEO Rafael Santana.
Simultaneously, financial institutions including Franklin Templeton, Oppenheimer & Co., Citigroup, and BlackRock stepped up to help Uzbek companies widen access to global capital markets. Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson met directly with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during the round of executive meet-and-greets.
A joint statement issued by the participating foreign ministers outlined intentions to strengthen US-Central Asian ties. The text laid out plans for broader mineral extraction opportunities alongside a commitment from the United States to support Central Asia in reaching its export potential through creative strategies designed to boost regional value-added goods.
Chinese Trade in Uzbekistan Dwarfs US Commerce
The American push in Samarkand unfolded immediately alongside heavy Chinese diplomatic engagement in Tashkent. Just a day before Rubio’s arrival, Li Qiang met with President Mirziyoyev. Mirziyoyev highlighted the rapid expansion of bilateral trade with Beijing, noting that the portfolio of projects backed by firm agreements had reached nearly $60 billion alongside more than 6,000 established joint ventures.
The scale of commerce heavily favors Beijing due to geographic proximity. The United States and Uzbekistan exchanged an estimated $1.7 billion in goods and services in 2025, according to Uzbek government data. By contrast, Uzbek-Chinese trade turnover reached almost $18 billion during the same year, according to Uzbek government figures.
Rubio addressed the disparity during his press briefing in Samarkand, acknowledging that Washington is playing catch-up. “We have products, we have companies. … And we just want fair competition and an opportunity,” Rubio said. He added that America seeks a fair shot to compete globally without cordoning off other nations.
The diplomatic maneuvering follows a pattern of competing overtures. In early September, Trump’s Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, Sergio Gor, and retiring Montana Sen. Steve Daines made a surprise visit to Bishkek that coincided with a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
Regional Resistance to Forced Diplomatic Choices
Tensions over regional alignment surfaced earlier in the summer when the State Department floated a trial balloon attempting to force Central Asian states to choose between Washington and Beijing for artificial intelligence development. Central Asian leaders flatly rejected the proposition.
During his stop in Samarkand, Rubio walked back any notion of forcing an ultimatum, stressing that his visit was not about telling regional governments to stop working with other countries.
While the joint ministerial statement affirmed commitments to foster environments where secure and trusted technology and e-commerce can flourish, it noticeably omitted specific references to artificial intelligence and critical minerals. Both sectors remain high priorities for the Trump administration, yet regional capitals continue to balance partnerships across multiple global superpowers without accepting exclusionary frameworks.