Two Central Asian nations are resisting American pressure to sever artificial intelligence partnerships with China, highlighting Washington’s struggle to enforce technological allegiance in the region. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have made clear they intend to maintain cooperation with both superpowers despite US diplomatic efforts to force a choice.
The tension emerged after a draft US State Department note surfaced on August 14. The document reportedly stated that countries seeking advanced American AI technology through the Pax Silica programme must withdraw from China’s World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO). Kazakhstan belongs to both initiatives, while Uzbekistan has signed onto the Chinese programme while pursuing American partnerships.
Actions speak louder than words. On August 18, Kazakhstan and China agreed to jointly develop an AI platform for scientific research, alongside working on DeepBas, a project focused on water resource management. Kazakh engineers recently completed training in China on satellite data analysis for disaster warnings.
Bobur Khodjaev, an aide to Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, addressed the issue directly at a Tashkent technology forum on August 24. “As a developing country, we want to have access to all available technologies,” he stated, noting that while American technology may be superior, Chinese models offer more affordable alternatives. The message was unmistakable: Central Asia won’t be picking sides.
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