For the first time, China has become the largest trading partner of Central Asia

[Special correspondent Li Qiang from Kazakhstan for the Global Times] "For the first time, China has become the largest trading partner of Central Asian countries," said the person in charge of the Eurasian Department of the Ministry of Commerce of China on the 18th, when introducing the situation of China-Central Asia trade in goods in 2025. According to the person in charge, in 2025, the import and export of goods trade between China and Central Asia reached $106.3 billion, a year-on-year increase of 12%, breaking through the $100 billion mark for the first time in history.


According to reports, the total import and export value between China and Central Asia has maintained growth for five consecutive years. In 2025, China's exports to Central Asia amounted to $71.2 billion, marking an 11% year-on-year increase. There was robust growth in electromechanical and high-tech products, with the market share of "new three major export items" steadily expanding. Imports from Central Asia totaled $35.1 billion, representing a 14% year-on-year increase. The types of non-resource products, such as chemicals, steel, and agricultural products, have been further enriched.

A prominent feature of China-Central Asia trade in 2025 is the expansion and empowerment of new business models. The person in charge stated, "China-Central Asia cross-border e-commerce imports and exports have maintained rapid growth, warehouse logistics construction has continued to advance, cross-border payment cooperation has been fully rolled out, and the China-Central Asia trade facilitation cooperation platform has officially been launched in Nanjing, Jiangsu. 'Silk Road E-commerce' has become an efficient bridge for smooth trade exchanges."

In addition, last year saw the integrated development of investment and trade between the two regions. According to the person in charge, cooperation in high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road has been continuously deepening and becoming more practical. A number of major projects in areas such as connectivity, equipment manufacturing, green minerals, and modern agriculture have been accelerated, effectively driving the expansion of exports to Central Asia and assisting in the industrial upgrading and economic revitalization of Central Asian countries.

Reporters from the Global Times have sensed in Kazakhstan that in recent years, the scale of bilateral trade between China and Kazakhstan has been steadily expanding, the structure of cooperation has been rapidly optimized, and project-based cooperation has been continuously increasing. As an important hub connecting the trade route between China and Europe, Kazakhstan's channel advantage in cross-border transportation and regional logistics has become more prominent. With the upgrading of port facilities, the improvement of the multimodal transport system, and the enhancement of cross-border customs clearance facilitation, bilateral trade costs are expected to further decrease, and trade efficiency is expected to continue to improve.