Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Fundamentals
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9
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TYPE
Original Research
PAGE NO.
8-12
DOI
OPEN ACCESS
SUBMITED
15 May 2025
ACCEPTED
11 June 2025
PUBLISHED
13 July 2025
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue07 2025
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
The Role of The Asia
–
Pacific Region in
Uzbekistan's Foreign Policy
(On the Example of The
History of Cooperation
with Indonesia, Malaysia
And Singapore)
Usarov Sirojiddin Rakhmatullaevich
PhD, Associate Professor of the Department of World History, Faculty of
History, Samarkand State University named after Sharof Rashidov,
Uzbekistan
Abstract:
Today, the regional dimension is becoming
increasingly significant in the system of international
relations. To put it briefly, most analysts attempt to
categorize the world on the basis of regions, systematize
it and, on this basis, demonstrate the role of regions in
global politics and economics. Despite the fact that the
term "Asia-Pacific region" is a relatively recent addition
to the system of international relations and world
politics, it stands out from other regions due to its
potential and promising future development. The
Republic of Uzbekistan places special emphasis on
cooperation with the advanced countries of the region,
considering this region as a priority direction in its
foreign policy. Relations with the countries in the
region, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore,
have yielded some positive results over the past year.
This article will analyze the significance of this region in
Uzbekistan's foreign policy.
Keywords:
The Asia-Pacific region, cooperation,
Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore.
Introduction:
According to the regional perspective, the
"Asia
–
Pacific region" is currently emerging as a major
political, military, and economic "actor" in the
international relations system. At the beginning of the
21st century, many were confidently predicting that this
period would be the "Asian Century" or the "Asia-Pacific
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Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Fundamentals
Century." Now, as we enter its second decade, this
prediction continues to hold true [1, P.1]. The region
serves as a driver of global development. The Asia-
Pacific region is acknowledged as the "center of the
world economy and politics" in Uzbekistan's foreign
policy strategy. [2, B.13].
It should be noted that the term "Asia-Pacific region"
was first introduced in the "new policy" of Japanese
Foreign Minister Miki in 1963. [1, P.3]. This concept
appeared in scientific literature in the late 1970s. [3,
S.14]. In official circles, the term "Asia
–
Pacific region"
has been used since the mid-1980s. [4, B.14], by the
end of the century, this concept had become widely
adopted internationally. [1, P.3].
The Asia-Pacific region is an important aspect of the
foreign policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The
country pays great attention to cooperation with
countries such as Japan, South Korea, Indonesia,
Malaysia, and Singapore, as well as China [5].
In the "Concept of Foreign Policy of the Republic of
Uzbekistan", which is the primary legal document
governing the country's foreign relations, China, Japan,
the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia are
listed as priority partners for Uzbekistan in the Asia-
Pacific region. [2, B.13-14].
METHOD
During the period of independence, the role of the
developed and dynamically developing countries in the
Asia-Pacific region in Uzbekistan's foreign policy has
increased and they have become reliable and key
partners for the country. Uzbekistan has established
strategic partnerships with countries such as the
People's Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of
Korea [6, B.50-51]. The legal framework for strategic
cooperation with Malaysia was also established [7].
These developments demonstrate the significance of
the region in the foreign policy of Uzbekistan. In the
year 2000, exports from the republic to countries in
this region accounted for 24.2% of the total exports,
whereas imports accounted for 39.7%. At the end of
the year 2018, these figures had increased to 38.1%
and 53.7% respectively. [8, V.1-2]. In addition, the
countries of the region are the main investment
partners of Uzbekistan. In 2017 alone, 80.9% of
investments into fixed assets in the republic came from
the countries of Asia-Pacific [9, V.12]. Certainly, the
contributions of the developed countries in the region
account for the majority of this. However, cooperation
with countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and
Singapore, which are also developing, plays a role in
Uzbekistan's
economic
development
and
strengthening its position on the international stage.
The establishment and development of cooperation
between Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and
Singapore can be attributed to several factors:
The first and most significant factor is related to
economic factors. The First President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan Islam Karimov noted at the time that
“consolidating cooperation with related countries at the
highest level allows the republic to enter into a system
of world economic relations based on principles of truly
equal partnership and mutual respect. This determines
our desire to establish external relations primarily with
countries of the Asia-
Pacific region” [10, B.56]. It is
well
known that Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, among
other countries in the region, gained independence
during a long and difficult period of political and
economic colonization. Due to the positive impact of
fundamental reforms implemented, these countries
have since become part of a group of steadily
developing nations, significantly outpacing in terms of
economic
growth
countries
that
achieved
independence around the same time (commonly
referred to as “third world countries”). Therefore, the
countries of the Asia-Pacific region with a high level of
development that have achieved positive results in
modernizing their economies can have a positive impact
on internal changes in the Republic of Uzbekistan [11,
S.111]. In addition, “An important aspect of
Uzbekistan's
foreign policy activation is the development of equal
relations with newly industrialized countries in
Southeast Asia. The republic is keenly interested in
learning from these countries' experiences in
modernizing
their
economies
and
attracting
investment, both in the processing of agricultural
products and in knowledge-intensive sectors [10,
B.58]”. In particular, although relations between
Singapore and Uzbekistan have not acquired any
significant geopolitical importance, it is on the basis of
its achievements over the past two decades that the
development of relations with this country would be
advisable [12, B.275].
The second factor should be related to political
considerations. The developed and rapidly developing
countries in the region operate under various political
systems in their public administrations. The existence of
different types of political systems, including a one-
party parliamentary republic (PRC), a constitutional
monarchy (Japan), a elected federal constitutional
monarchy based on presidential rule (the Republic of
Korea and Indonesia), and a parliamentary republic
(Singapore), demonstrates that the specific political
system is not the primary determinant of economic
development. In this context, the experience of these
countries in the field of governance requires a certain
level of consideration when shaping the future
institutions of Uzbekistan, a newly independent
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sovereign state. In particular, for Uzbekistan, which is
establishing its own institutions of sovereign
statehood, it is essential to study the accumulated
experience of the political institutions of other
republican states in the region. Rafiz Abazov, a
prominent expert on the foreign policies of Central
Asian states during this period, supports his arguments
with a quote by Cassandra Cavanaugh: “He (Islam
Karimov) called for the “study and apply” approach for
a successful transition of his country to prosperity and
strong development after his well-publicised trips to
South Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia in 199
2” [13,
P.20.]. The First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
stated that: “We strive to live in harmony with all
people and nations who follow the path of progress
and strive for a free and prosperous life. We draw on
the experience not only of Western countries, but also
of developed countries in the East such as Japan, South
Korea, and Malaysia” [14, B.249].
At the same time, it is essential to note that the
activation of foreign policy in the eastern direction,
with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region, while taking
into account national interests, is a significant factor in
creating additional conditions for sustainable
development in Uzbekistan. Consequently, this
direction of Uzbekistan's foreign policy may serve as an
incentive for other leading global "actors" who have a
geopolitical influence on our country's strategic
interests in the Central Asian region, to follow the
"balance principle" [15, B.6].
In addition, an analysis of the official visits made by the
First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan during the
first year after independence also reveals that
countries on the Asian continent were given priority in
the foreign policy of the country. (In 1992, the
President paid official visits to countries within the CIS
and Turkey in Europe, as well as to Iran, Pakistan, Saudi
Arabia, China, South Korea, Indonesia, and Malaysia.).
A. Kyrgyzboev, a scientist who has researched the
history of relations between independent Uzbekistan
and Asian nations, emphasizes that in its foreign policy,
Uzbekistan places significant emphasis on cooperation
with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, among
the more developed nations of Asia. [16, B.42].
The third factor can be appropriately explained by
spiritual proximity. Historically, the ancestors of the
peoples who lived in what is now Uzbekistan
established relations with other peoples on the
continent. These relations were political, economic,
cultural and religious in nature, and included trade.
Today, factors such as Islam and the Eastern mentality
are bringing the people of the continent together.
Undoubtedly, Islam plays a significant role in this
regard. Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, among
other countries, regard Uzbekistan as a highly respected
and popular destination in the Muslim world. Most
importantly, the history of relations between nations is
also connected to Islam. Due to the fact that the
opinions of scholars who acknowledge the historical
significance of Uzbekistan's role in spreading Islam to
modern-day Indonesians, we can conclude that the
history of state relations dates back several centuries.
[17, P.35-40]. On the Indonesian side, it is believed that
the first two Islamic preachers out of the nine were
natives of Samarkand, which is now located in
Uzbekistan.
Additionally, another factor that historically links
Uzbekistan with Muslims in Indonesia, Malaysia, and
other Southeast Asian nations on the basis of a shared
religious identity is the Naqshbandi order. The origin of
the tariqa is in Uzbekistan, from which it subsequently
expanded to various regions of the world. Today, there
are many thousands of followers of the Naqshbandi
Tariqa in the countries of Southeast Asia. Even in
Malaysia, there is the "World Sufi Centre" of Tariqa. In
addition, there are several Naqshbandi Sufi centres in
Indonesia and Singapore. Undoubtedly, the adherents
of the Naqshbandi order in these states have treated the
land and people of Uzbekistan, which is regarded as the
birthplace of the order, with great respect. Such
historical ties, where the commonality of religion and
values is the main factor that encourages states to be
closer.
It should be noted that the values of humanism, ethnic
and religious tolerance that have been formed in the
context of the diverse religious beliefs, languages,
cultures, and traditions of Indonesia, Malaysia, and
Singapore, harmoniously integrate with the spiritual
values of Uzbekistan. This contributes to the closer
interstate relations between these countries.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
The above factors have a significant impact on the
cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and
Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. In the 1990s,
Indonesia held a leading position in its relations with
Uzbekistan, compared to its other two neighbors.
However, since the beginning of the 21st century, this
position has been first taken over by Malaysia and later
by Singapore.
This is demonstrated by the visits of state leaders at the
official level. In the history of Uzbek-Indonesian
relations, heads of state have paid mutual visits at the
highest level on one occasions: in 1992 and 1995. The
presidents of Uzbekistan have paid state visits to
Malaysia three times (in 1992, 2005, and 2025), and the
heads of government of Malaysia have also paid state
visits to Uzbekistan the same number of times (in 1993,
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2008, and 2024). During the past period of
cooperation, heads of state from Uzbekistan paid state
visits to Singapore twice (in 2007 and 2013), and
representatives from Singapore paid a state visit to
Uzbekistan in 2023.
The scale of trade relations between countries
throughout the history of their relationship also
reflects the corresponding dynamics. In the last decade
of the 20th century, Indonesia played the role of
Uzbekistan's main foreign trading partner in the
region. However, from the next decade, Malaysia and
Singapore have taken the lead in this role. In particular,
while the volume of trade between Uzbekistan and
Indonesia has not reached one hundred million dollars
in the history of their cooperation, the figure for trade
relations with Singapore has exceeded three hundred
million dollars. [18].
CONCLUSION
Since the early years of its independence, the Republic
of Uzbekistan has been establishing bilateral and
multilateral cooperation with other countries in the
Asia-Pacific region. These established ties were based
on a variety of political and economic factors. In
establishing relations with Indonesia and Malaysia,
which are among the leading developing countries in
Southeast Asia along with other economically
developed countries in the region, several factors have
played a significant role. These include the similarity of
approaches to foreign policy, the availability of
sustainable development indicators, and a certain
degree of religious commonality.
The political dialogue, which was established at a
certain point in the history of Uzbekistan's cooperation
with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, has been one
of the most significant mechanisms for addressing
important issues in international, regional, and mutual
relations. With the support of an ever-growing foreign
policy, the development of this dialogue and its
regularization in our country will be beneficial for all
parties involved.
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