President Trump’s recent “C5+1” summit with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan did what Washington summits too rarely do: it produced results. From aircraft orders to critical-mineral cooperation, the summit repositioned Central Asia from a geopolitical afterthought to a practical pillar in America’s supply-chain strategy. 

Rather than issue meaningless communiqués about “partnership,” the administration unveiled commercial agreements that actually matter to American workers. Central Asian airlines announced agreements for up to 37 Boeing jets -- Air Astana’s new 787s, Somon Air’s first wide-bodies and 737s, and additional 787s for Uzbekistan Airways. These deals sustain U.S. aerospace jobs while anchoring ties with a region that sits astride China, Russia, and the Middle East. 

In a capital long fixated on symbolism, Trump’s team focused on signatures. 

Washington and Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of understanding on critical minerals -- uranium, rare earths, and tungsten -- key inputs for the U.S. defense base. Beyond statements, the two sides spotlighted a tungsten development venture expected to receive U.S. export-finance backing. The message: less reliance on Chinese processing, more secure American and allied supply chains. For once, Washington is treating Central Asia’s geology as a strategic resource, not a talking point. 

The summit underscored support for the Trans-Caspian, or “Middle Corridor,” the trade route that carries goods from Central Asia to Europe without crossing Russian territory or depending on Chinese railways. Upgrading rails, ports, and customs systems may not grab headlines, but it’s the best insurance against future supply shocks. Diversifying freight routes costs far less than the crises created by dependency. 

With Russia bogged down in war and China facing debt-heavy overreach, Central Asian governments crave options. Hosting their leaders in Washington -- on the C5+1 framework’s 10th anniversary -- signaled America’s return as a credible partner. The formula: contracts, compliance, and capital rather than control and coercion. 

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev even called Trump “the president of the world” and proposed a permanent regional secretariat. Rhetorical flourish for sure, but also an unmistakable sign that the region welcomes sustained U.S. engagement. 

Trump announced that the United States and Uzbekistan reached a trade and investment framework representing “$35 billion over three years and more than $100 billion over a decade” in prospective purchases and investments. Even if those figures evolve, the direction is clear: moving minerals, aviation, machinery, and energy deals from talking points into term sheets benefiting America.

The less glamorous but essential story is legal and financial credibility. U.S. firms bring export-control compliance, anti-corruption clauses, and enforceable contracts -- America’s comparative advantage. Rule-of-law financing lowers risk for investors and reassures governments that they can modernize without surrendering sovereignty. It’s capitalism with guardrails.

By emphasizing border modernization, customs digitization, and counter-terror coordination, the summit promoted stability through trade rather than troop deployments. With Afghanistan, Iran, and China’s Xinjiang region nearby, commerce is a safer conduit for influence than conflict. Opening and reinforcing trade corridors beats occupying them. 

In the aftermath of the C5+1 summit, the Trump administration should: 

1.       Pursue mineral agreements specifying processing locations and standards, not just mine-gate volumes; 

2.       Seek to dramatically reduce corridor project transit times; and 

3.       Develop compliance toolkits to help America’s Central Asian partners navigate export controls. 

The C5+1 gathering was not a photo op; it was a long-overdue pivot. By turning Central Asia into a network of contracts and corridors, President Trump advanced an outward-facing, commercially grounded version of “America First.” American factories and allies across the Atlantic benefit when the materials of modern life -- including uranium, rare earths, and tungsten -- flow safely through transparent, diversified trade routes. 

If Washington keeps its focus on contracts, corridors, and credibility, the C5+1’s tenth anniversary won’t be remembered for its dinner toasts. It will be recalled as the moment the United States redrew the global supply-chain map without firing a shot. 

Jacob Choe is a member of the Bretton Woods Committee and serves as the Eurasia Center’s Asia Program Director. James Carter is a Principal with Navigators Global. He previously served as Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor (2006-07) and as the Director of the America First Policy Institute’s Center for American Prosperity (2021-23).

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