<h1>U.S. hosts five Central Asian leaders to boost critical minerals, diversify supply chains and ease reliance on dominant processor</h1> U.S. leadership hosted five Central Asian heads of state to advance access to critical minerals and diversify supply chains amid recent Chinese export curbs on rare earths; bilateral meetings and working-level diplomacy follow a temporary easing of Beijing's restrictions. The visit highlights U.S. policy priorities linking economic security, investment promotion, and regional partnerships to reduce reliance on a dominant foreign processor. Concurrent bipartisan legislation was introduced to repeal Soviet-era trade restrictions that currently impede U.S. investment in these states, raising potential legal and regulatory changes affecting trade, foreign direct investment, export controls and national-security reviews tied to critical mineral sourcing.