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Competition and Cooperation in the Critical Minerals Sector under the Central Asia C5+1 Mechanisms

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The world is currently undergoing an accelerating evolution of transformations unseen in a century. As the global green transition and technological competition intensify, critical minerals have emerged as a central arena for geopolitical contestation among major powers. Endowed with abundant uranium, lithium, rare-earth elements, and various other strategic minerals, Central Asia is transforming from a landlocked backwater into a pivotal Eurasian hub. In this context, major state actors have established cooperative frameworks with the five Central Asian nations — Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan — through “C5[Formula: see text]1” or analogous summit mechanisms, giving rise to a complex landscape of competition and cooperation. This paper systematically reviews the key projects and cooperation progress of China, the United States, Russia, Japan, and the European Union in Central Asia’s critical minerals sector, analyzes the strategic motivations behind their participation in resource competition, and assesses future trends in the evolving geopolitical landscape.

Source: Chinese Journal of International Review

DOI: 10.1142/s2630531326500095

Authors: Qiu Wang, Yonghao Wang

Institution: University of Shanghai for Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Global Political and Economic Relations

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Partnerships for the goals

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: Shanghai Office of Philosophy and Social Science