{
  "id": 19855348,
  "title": "Beijing Turns to Soft Power as Washington Expands Central Asia Ties",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/beijing-turns-to-soft-power-as-washington-expands-central-asia-ties",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-11-13T19:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "OilPrice",
    "slug": "oilprice",
    "url": "https://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/Asia/Beijing-Turns-to-Soft-Power-as-Washington-Expands-Central-Asia-Ties.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In response to a successful U.S. push to bolster its trade presence in Central Asia, China has embarked on a comprehensive soft power campaign targeting the region's most populous nation, Uzbekistan. The Chinese government's Central Propaganda Department, through its international broadcaster CGTN, has launched a concerted effort to promote China's ties with Uzbekistan across various domains, including political, economic, cultural, and social aspects.\n\nFrom October 25 to November 5, CGTN published approximately 70 articles and videos in Uzbek and Russian, featuring insights from Chinese and Uzbek officials, entrepreneurs, scholars, artists, and other individuals. The campaign aimed to position China as a nation offering opportunities for business, work, study, travel, and even marriage partnerships. A notable segment of the campaign included a commemoration of the launch of a Chinese edition of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's book on Uzbekistan's development.\n\nThe impetus for Beijing's charm offensive is believed to stem from the October visit of U.S. Secretary of Commerce Marco Rubio and a delegation of U.S. business executives to Samarkand, Uzbekistan. During his visit, Rubio engaged in talks with the foreign ministers of all five Central Asian states, aiming to advance a U.S.-supported trans-Caspian trade network. The accompanying trade fair reportedly resulted in over 50 deals valued at up to $12 billion between American companies and Uzbek entities.\n\nU.S. Secretary of Commerce Marco Rubio expressed his enthusiasm for strengthened U.S.-Uzbek relations during a news conference on Samarkand's Registan Square, stating, \"The meeting generated widespread enthusiasm within the Uzbek leadership for strengthened U.S.-Uzbek relations.\" Prior to Rubio's arrival, Chinese Premier Li Qiang paid a visit to Tashkent, reinforcing the importance of Tashkent's relationship with Beijing and pledging China's readiness to strengthen strategic communication, support core interests, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan.",
  "summary": "China is responding to a successful US push to raise its trade profile in Central Asia by launching a far-reaching information campaign to sway hearts and minds in Central Asia’s most populous state. In late October and early November, CGTN, China’s international broadcaster operated by the Communist Party’s Central Propaganda Department, sponsored an unprecedented information campaign touting…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}