BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 15. Uzbekistan's alignment with the Middle Corridor initiative could lower the country's import goods, thus tempering inflation within the country, Felix Chang, a Senior Fellow at the US Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Asia Program, told Trend.
“From an economic standpoint, Uzbekistan's alignment with the Middle Corridor initiative could help the country develop in the long run. However, greater integration with the Middle Corridor could also expose Uzbek manufacturers to greater competition and retard their development,” the analyst noted.
The expert stressed that while Uzbekistan could attempt to avoid such a fate by becoming a value-added part of international supply chains, many countries along the Middle Corridor are also trying to apply such policy.
Further speaking, Chang added that from a geopolitical standpoint, Uzbekistan's alignment with the Middle Corridor initiative could have a number of developments.
“First, it would tie the southern swath of Central Asia (including Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan) more closely to the fortunes of Europe and East Asia, rather than those of the countries to its North or South, like Iran,” he said.
As per the expert, this might account for the reason why Tehran has been trying to broaden the Middle Corridor to include an additional route to better connect Central Asia to Iran, as evinced by an October meeting among officials from the Southern Middle Corridor countries of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan and those from Iran.
“Uzbekistan's alignment with the Middle Corridor initiative could also have a geopolitical implication for China, as Middle Corridor's Southern route through Uzbekistan eventually connecting with Iran would give China not only a more direct trade route to its Middle Eastern ally, but also give the countries of Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan greater economic incentive to keep the route open,” Chang explained.
The Middle Corridor, a transportation and trade pathway, links Asia and Europe as it traverses numerous countries within the region. It provides an alternative to the conventional Northern and Southern Corridors.
Beginning in China, it spans across Central Asian nations like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Subsequently, it extends through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye before reaching the European continent.
This strategic Middle Corridor offers a land-based connection between the eastern regions of Asia, including China, and Europe, offering a shorter path compared to lengthy maritime routes.
