US strives to oust Russian media from Central Asian information space

The United States is attempting to oust Russian media from the information space of Central Asian states and this was confirmed by Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu.

"We are engaged in an important struggle in South and Central Asia," reads the text of his opening statement prepared for a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee of Congress, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

"This is a struggle to compete with the PRC, to counter disinformation from Russia and the PRC, and to prevent terrorist groups from creating threats to our security," the US official asserted.

In this regard, he clarified, without going into details, that Washington's financial assistance to Central Asia is aimed, among other things, at creating "an alternative to Russian media."

"Our number one priority [in Asia] is building partnerships in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean regions. Our number two priority is to build on last year's interaction between President [US President Joe Biden] and Central Asian leaders at the New York summit," Lu said.

In his version, "Central Asian countries are faltering from the economic impact" caused by Russia's special military operation and from "unsustainable debt burdens imposed by unsustainable Chinese loans." The US diplomat said that there is "fierce competition [between the US] with China and Russia" in Central Asia.