Between Washington and Beijing: can Central Asia preserve its multi-vector technology policy?

It is important to emphasize that Uzbekistan's growing ties with China do not automatically mean a geopolitical choice in favor of Beijing. Tashkent has consistently pursued a diversified foreign economic policy.

China remains a key partner, but Uzbekistan is also seeking to develop economic and technological ties with the United States, the European Union, South Korea, Japan, Türkiye, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and international financial institutions.

This is particularly visible in the technology sector. Uzbekistan needs multiple sources of investment and expertise because its goal is not simply to import ready-made technologies, but to build its own digital and industrial capabilities.

That is why Tashkent is interested in cooperation with the United States in AI and advanced technologies while also seeking to maintain diversified partnerships and openness to mutually beneficial international cooperation.

Why Tashkent is unlikely to accept a hard "either-or" Choice

For Uzbekistan, balanced multi-vector diplomacy is not only a matter of foreign policy positioning. It is also an important economic strategy. The country needs Chinese investment and technology, American capital and advanced technologies, European markets, South Korean and Japanese technologies, as well as deeper regional economic integration.

New transport corridors, energy and renewable energy projects, modern computing capacity and digital infrastructure are equally important. All of these areas require substantial investment, technology and access to international markets. In this environment, competition among external partners creates additional opportunities for Uzbekistan.

The more cooperation options the country has, the stronger its negotiating position and the greater its chances of securing better terms for investment, technology, infrastructure projects and market access.

Therefore, voluntarily giving up one major source of investment, infrastructure and technology simply to accommodate the geopolitical preferences of another major power would make little economic sense.

For Uzbekistan, the rational strategy is not to choose one external center of power, but to use competition among them as effectively as possible while preserving room for independent economic and technological decisions. A more sensible strategy is to maximize the benefits of competition while reducing dependence on any individual partner.

If Washington genuinely wants to help Uzbekistan diversify its technology relationships, it will need to offer concrete alternatives: investment in data centers, advanced computing, AI research, cybersecurity, education, human capital and semiconductor-related supply chains.

China is already offering Uzbekistan significant opportunities in infrastructure, economic connectivity and technology. The United States and other Western partners could compete using their own strengths: advanced AI research, software, venture capital, high-performance computing, international standards, education and access to Western markets.