Mar 18, 2015 at a critical time for the region and for us policy. Stay up to date on the latest news, analysis, and commentary in central asia. Central asia has always been the strategic and commercial crossroad of civilizations between europe and asia. Jan 25, 2016 unlike the united states, however, russia and china also have considerable resources to assist central asia. Browse our archives of magazine articles, interviews, and in depth essays from experts in central asia. He is the bestselling author of fifteen books on foreign affairs and travel translated into many languages, including asias cauldron, the revenge of geography, monsoon, balkan ghosts, and eastward to tartary. As a result, the united states is pursuing its policy objectives in central asia through a combination of diplomacy, relationship building, and foreign assistance, in addition to increasing its. The onus of us failure in afghanistan has once again fallen on pakistan. United states foreign policy in south asia christina b. China, mongolia, north korea, south korea, japan, hong kong, taiwan, and macau.
The sixth section of the book is about the united states plans in central asia and afghanistan after 2014, while section seven, which is the final section of the book, provides readers with an analysis of the united states foreign policy in central asia. Threats to stability emanating from the region, the overall strategic significance of south asia, and several notable geopolitical shifts. Request pdf on jun 8, 2018, yuliya shokh and others published u. Oil dreams haunt the caucasus and central asia by marc garcelon, acting executive director 19971998, berkeley program in soviet and postsoviet studies spring 1998 199805. We are extremely pleased to have with us today assistant secretary for south and central asian affairs nisha desai biswal, who will discuss u. The conventional wisdom until recently, particularly in the.
The nss defines the indopacific region pdf as stretching from the west coast of india to the western shores of the united states page 46. The question is whether or not it is also an anomaly. Kaplan is a senior fellow at the center for a new american security, originally joining the center in march 2008. From the icebound passes of the hindu kush to the blazing heat of the karakum desert, central asia is a subcontinent steeped in illusion. The new international context, have showed that the foreign policy of the united states in central asia is based on three broad approach i. In policy terms, the rebalance entails three sets of initiatives security, economic, and diplomatic elements. Much less consensus exists on the extent to which central banks should take account of asset prices in the conduct of monetary policy. Monetary and currency policy management in asia 5 only way to achieve price stability. Central asia has served more as the battleground for outside powers than as a power in its own right. The heritage foundation will host a moderated discussion to launch the united states new strategy for central asia 20192025.
The american university of central asia in bishkek is a growing hub for the. Central asia is critical to putins aim of establishing russia as the leading player in the eurasian heartland, and as an independent center of global power alongside the united states and china. For the first ten years after kazakhstan, kyrgyzstan, tajikistan, turkmenistan, and uzbekistan became independent, sovereign states, the united states saw its interests in the region as limited. This paper will argue that the united states needs to reevaluate its policy in central asia in order to bring its advocacy of american values and its pursuit of its strategic interests into proper balance. Chinas changing role in central asia and implications for. Chinas response to the complex challenges on its western borders during the past two decades has been to adopt an empty fortress strategy, whereby china boldly projects an image of considerable strength in central and south asia to mask serious frailty. Since central asia is the bridge connecting other major oil producing zones such as the persian gulf and siberia. The challenges with the worst of the crisis behind us, the policy focus in asia is now geared towards managing the cyclical recovery. The united states is often and often fairly maligned for a distinct lack of strategy in its relations with central asia. Senior diplomats deputy secretary of state anthony blinken and principal deputy assistant secretary of the bureau of south and central asian affairs richard. As of 2014, however, chinas influence in the region remains quite modest except in the economic realm. While there is no serious intention to revive the ussr, the kremlin is keen to ensure a primary right of.
The us state department recently shared the countrys new policy vision for central asia. From the clinton to the trump administrations, washington has claimed to have consistent strategic goals. Central asia had both the advantage and disadvantage of. United states foreign policy in the states of central asia. Central asia since 2001, chinas diplomatic, military, and economic influence in central asia has grown dramatically. Developments and relationships there really matter. United states and central asia in central asian security. Priorities in the south and central asia region united. In recent years, under the influence of harmonious diplomacy, china has given every effort to improve its relationship with neighbouring countries to make a peaceful environment not only in accordance with the common interest of the chinese and.
The united states, china, and russia have been dominant players in the new contest for influence in the region. The threat of terrorism makes very clear the security interests the united states shares with central asia. While its energy resources and proximity to russia, iran, and china did require some u. American policy toward central asia should be based on the premise that it is a region of convergent rather than competitive interests, offering greater space for policies that do not work at crosspurposes and are even complementary. Priorities and constraints the united states can neither ignore nor be ignored by central asia. It is important to analyze some of the key issues for central and south asia as this region will prove vital for u. It is bounded on the north by russia and on the south by iran, afghanistan, and china. Ethnic groups and identities part, section beginning with the words the artificiality, the reality effect of a state structure part, from independence to emerging nationalism part, 7273, 116121, 161168, 173182. The united states primary strategic interest in this region is to build a more stable and prosperous central asia that is free to pursue political, economic, and security interests with a variety of partners on its own terms. Policy as the united states continues on a glide path toward a substantially smaller military footprint in afghanistan, central asia s importance as the gateway to afghanistan will decline in america s strategic calculus. Rocca, assistant secretary for south asia affairs remarks to the american chamber of commerce luncheon dhaka, bangladesh may 18, 2004.
An immediate first step in this direction will be to. Chinas changing role in central asia and implications. Tacked on to chinese or afghanistan policy, bogged in. Good morning and welcome, everyone, both here at the washington foreign press center, as well as those of you joining us in new york. The united states continues to be a partner in many ongoing regional development projects, and as we have done over the last 27 years, the united states stands with the people of central asia as close friends and partners in support of their development as strong, sovereign, and independent states, and were proud of this history together and. The csis africa program is the major forum in washington, dc for balanced, nonpartisan dialogue and research on u. During the first quarter century after the collapse of. Chinas main economic interest in central asia is energy, its economic policy is aimed at securing and diversifying channels of energy supply for chinas continual development. Although this was an important task, this singular focus prevented us from thinking. East asia is politically divided into eight countries and regions. Political tracts, novels, and additional scholarly literature are suggested for further. Tacked on to chinese or afghanistan policy, bogged in securitization or stilted democratization efforts, washington has seemed unable to formulate a distinct, coherent policy for the region for years.
The lowkey, lowcost, proliferationfirst policy that the united states developed worked well in meeting all of these needs. After the events of september 11, 2001, the united states national security interests in central asia underwent a drastic shift. Foreign policy priorities in south and central asia. The changing logic of russian strategy in central asia. Pdf chinas foreign policy in central asia tony taiting. United states recast its foreign policy toward central asia. Trumps new strategy for afghanistan and south asia.
Unlike the united states, however, russia and china also have considerable resources to assist central asia. Last week, the carnegie endowment for international peace released a report intended to ground u. In a much awaited afghanistan and south asia policy of the new trump administration, pakistan has been singularly singled out by president trump as he announced the core pillars of his strategy to prosecute the us war in afghanistan on august 21, 2017. Thank you for your warm welcome and thank you, president islam, for your kind introduction. For over a decade, us policy towards central asia has been an appendage of our security footprint in afghanistan, focusing on securing access agreements and logistics thenetworks necessary to supply us forces. A new report from human rights watch and uzbek activists alleges the continued use of forced and child labor in harvesting the central asian countrys cotton crop. Pdf chinas foreign policy in central asia tony tai. China first started to play a role in the region in the early 1990s, driven by its concern that the acquisition of independence by the central asian republics would encourage separatism in xinjiang.
Interests congressional research service summary u. Central asia, central region of asia, extending from the caspian sea in the west to the border of western china in the east. Xinjiang in chinas foreign policy toward central asia. Browse our archives of magazine articles, interviews, and indepth essays from experts in central asia. Foreign policy towards central asia find, read and cite all the. Kevin rudd on the avoidable war between the united states and china the asia society policy institute president discusses the dangerous year and decade ahead for the worlds most important bilateral relationship with tom nagorski.
Central asia has been divided, redivided, conquered out of existence, and fragmented time and time again. Jun 20, 2016 the sixth section of the book is about the united states plans in central asia and afghanistan after 2014, while section seven, which is the final section of the book, provides readers with an analysis of the united states foreign policy in central asia 19912015 along with the authors findings. Our policy in central asia also focuses on building each countrys capacity for internal economic growth as well as nurturing bilateral commercial ties. Deputy assistant to the president lisa curtis will join. Through bilateral military and civilian partnership programs, the united states is working with the central asian states to. Three major factors amplify the importance of placing south asia on the crowded front burner of u. Ambassador alice wells, principal deputy assistant secretary for south and central asian affairs, talks to navbahor imamova, voice of america uzbek service, about the trump administrations approach to central asia, uzbekistans reform agenda, afghanistan and the new south asia strategy. Us department of state until the trump administration appoints a new assistant secretary of state, ambassador alice wells, the principal deputy assistant secretary for south and central asian affairs, will remain washingtons point person for the region. Central asia presents several formidable challenges to american policy makers.
A premature birth, 320, international crisis group. The five regions of asia asia countries and regions. The region consists of the former soviet republics of kazakhstan, uzbekistan. Interests congressional research service 1 introduction the central asian regionbordering regional powers russia, china, and iranis an ageold. The united statess approach to central asia, of course, will not be made in a vacuum.
Central asia policy that draws out many of the criticisms regional watchers had with the report. The first hypothesis, probably, tells us more about the initial priorities and intentions of china in central asia. Central asias significant energy resources are certainly a motivating factor for regional economic development and integration. The csis platform allows african leaders to engage in constructive discussion with their u. Ironically, getting the balance correct will make it more likely that in the long term the united states. The conventional wisdom until recently, particularly in the us, was that central banks should not. East asia china, mongolia, north korea, south korea, japan, hong kong, taiwan, macau east asia is located east of central asia, with its eastern border running along the east china sea. Russia, china, and the united states in central asia the web site. Feb 05, 2020 the heritage foundation will host a moderated discussion to launch the united states new strategy for central asia 20192025. Moreover, the regions importance to moscow will continue to. Central asia is no longer the policy backwater it once was.