On February 18, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (D.F.C.) announced an agreement with the Government of Uzbekistan to improve access to the Central Asian country’s critical minerals. This “Joint Investment Framework” represents an American effort to disrupt China’s dominance of the critical minerals sector. 

Uzbekistan, a nation of 40 million people, is Central Asia’s second-largest economy. It has significant reserves of critical resources, ranking 10th globally in copper and natural gas reserves, 4th in kaolin, and 5th in uranium. It also has over 100 gold deposits. Overall, Uzbekistan’s subsoil wealth is valued at an estimated $3 trillion. 

China holds near-total control over the entire critical minerals ecosystem. The International Energy Agency’s 2025 Global Critical Minerals Outlook showed that China was the leading refiner for 19 of 20 important strategic minerals, with an average market share of 70%. For rare earth elements (R.E.E.s), a set of 17 metallic elements, China’s dominance is even stronger: it mines at least 60% and processes about 90% of the world’s R.E.E.s. 

By securing direct access to Uzbekistan’s substantial mineral reserves, the U.S. hopes to diversify mineral supply chains away from China and decrease its own reliance on Chinese imports. Researchers at Columbia University’s Center for Global Energy Policy found that in 2025, the U.S. was more than 50% dependent on imports for 32 critical minerals – China was a supplier for 14 of these. 

According to a media release from the D.F.C., the Joint Investment Framework “would identify mutually beneficial investments, promote cooperation to advance shared economic interests, and encourage joint investment in strategic sectors including critical minerals, infrastructure, and energy. The Framework would prioritize investments across the critical mineral value chain from exploration, extraction, processing, and beyond.”

Uzbekistan has been undergoing a rapid economic transformation since 2016, when current President Shavkat Mirziyoyev came to power. Several reforms have liberalized the economy, shifting it from a Soviet-style command economy to a market economy. In all, the economic growth (as measured by G.D.P.) has averaged almost 6% annually over the past eight years. 

Mirziyoyev was present at the signing of the pact this past week, and his trip to Washington was also motivated by the inaugural meeting of President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace.” In his address at the meeting, Mirziyoyev expressed gratitude towards Trump for convening the summit. The Uzbek president stated, “I am confident that the Board’s work will create a favorable condition for the economic and social restoration of Gaza.” 

In the context of the wars and crises that affect the world today, agreements like this critical minerals deal tend to fly under the radar. But the effects of this pact will be observable in the geopolitical landscape in the near future. 

Critical minerals are as important as ever right now. They are essential for modern technology and national security. Beyond that, critical minerals are the key to a global transition to clean energy – they are used in things like wind turbines, solar panels, and EV batteries. As zero-carbon technology continues to grow rapidly, the demand for critical minerals increases. The next few decades will be crucial for energy, and it is very possible that we will see more and more critical minerals deals like this one as the U.S. and China duke it out on the global stage.