The Debate | Diplomacy | Central Asia

For Uyghurs in Central Asia, US Diplomacy Could Be a Lifeline

By pressing Central Asian governments to protect Uyghurs and resist Beijing’s coercion, Secretary Rubio can demonstrate that America’s moral leadership still matters.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be leading a delegation of more than 200 American business leaders to Uzbekistan this coming weekend. With this visit, Rubio has an opportunity to give hope to Uyghurs worldwide by publicly raising their plight in Central Asia. 

In 2019, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo raised the Uyghur issue publicly at a meeting with Central Asian foreign ministers, urging them not to send Uyghurs back to China. Pompeo pressed the issue again with Kazakh leaders during a 2020 visit. His words resonated deeply, and Uyghurs in Central Asia felt like they finally had an advocate. Rubio now has an opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen that message. 

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be leading a delegation of more than 200 American........

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