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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Beijing, March 1 (Xinhua) — In 2025, trade turnover between China and Central Asia (CA) exceeded $100 billion for the first time, increasing by 12 percent compared to 2024. China also became the largest trading partner of all CA countries for the first time. At a time when global economic growth remains sluggish and the international trading system has suffered a serious blow, this achievement not only sets a new historical record but also demonstrates the new opportunities for cooperation that China's super-large market offers CA countries.
OPEN POLICY ENSURES STABLE EXPECTATIONS
At a video summit marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the five Central Asian countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated: “China is ready to open its extremely large market to Central Asian countries, increase imports of high-quality goods and agricultural products from the region, continue to hold a forum on China-Central Asia trade and economic cooperation, and strive to reach $70 billion in bilateral trade turnover by 2030.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that China will pursue more effective and meaningful cooperation with Central Asian countries during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030). He stated that Beijing intends to join Central Asian countries in pursuing modernization, "opening new horizons in promoting high-quality cooperation," and jointly building a "community with a shared future."
As Wang Zhihua, Director of the Department of Foreign Trade at the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, stated, China strives not only to be the "world's factory" but also to become the "world's market." Its hyper-scale market will open up greater opportunities for products and services from all countries. This commitment is now being translated into concrete policy measures.
CONSUMER POTENTIAL OPENS UP ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITIES
Chocolate-flavored muesli from Kazakhstan for breakfast. Vegetables fried in flaxseed oil from Tajikistan. Dried fruits from Turkmenistan for a snack, or dairy products from Uzbekistan with honey from Kyrgyzstan… High-quality delicacies from the Central Asian region are expanding the selection on the tables of Chinese consumers.
Today, high-quality agricultural products from Central Asia, including honey, fruit, and wheat, are regularly supplied to Chinese supermarkets and e-commerce platforms. Over 100 types of agricultural and food products have been officially approved for export to China, and over 4,000 enterprises from Central Asian countries have gained access to the Chinese market. In 2025, China's imports from Central Asian countries reached $35.1 billion, an increase of 14 percent compared to the previous year. Along with traditional resources, supplies of non-commodity products such as chemicals, metallurgical products, and agricultural goods are increasing, contributing to a more balanced and diversified trade structure.
INDUSTRIAL ADVANTAGES AND MARKET DEMAND PROMOTE INDUSTRIAL MODERNIZATION
The impressive results of China's engagement with Central Asian countries are clearly evident, in particular, in the growing popularity of China's new "Troika" exports—new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products—in the region's markets. Shipments of mechanical engineering, electronics, and high-tech products are also showing significant growth, contributing to infrastructure modernization and energy transition throughout the region.
In Uzbekistan, the use of Chinese drip irrigation technology on cotton plantations has significantly increased crop yields and water conservation. In Kyrgyzstan, an organic agricultural fertilizer plant, established jointly with Chinese companies, has achieved a breakthrough in the local production of complex fertilizers, and the products are now exported to neighboring countries.
Thanks to China's mature cross-border e-commerce and logistics systems, small and medium-sized enterprises in Central Asia gain access to Chinese consumers with fewer barriers.
IMPROVING COOPERATION MECHANISMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ALLOWS THE REALIZATION OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES
China-Central Asia cooperation mechanisms are functioning smoothly. The China-Central Asia Flow Trade Cooperation Platform was officially launched in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, East China. Cooperation in cross-border payments continues to gain momentum, helping to more effectively meet market demand in China and Central Asian countries. The implementation of transport projects, such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, is accelerating. China's total investment in Central Asian countries has exceeded USD 50 billion, covering areas such as green energy, manufacturing, and the digital economy, creating a significant number of jobs. Using Kyrgyzstan as an example, bilateral trade volume reached USD 27.2 billion in 2025, an increase of 20 percent year-on-year, while Kyrgyzstan's exports to China grew by 86 percent, ensuring a sustainable improvement in living standards.
Modern China is not only a "global factory" but also a global leader in manufacturing, logistics, and communications, according to Kyrgyz political scientist and former rector of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Professor Almazbek Akmataliev, in an interview with Xinhua. He believes China is making significant efforts to expand and modernize its market, deepen international cooperation in production and logistics chains, optimize the investment climate, and jointly build high-quality projects on the Belt and Road Initiative.
A trade turnover of $100 billion is not the end, but a new starting point for cooperation. The resilience and dynamism of China's hyper-scale market are pushing both sides to shift from resource complementarity to structural complementarity and are spurring the industrial modernization of Central Asian countries. As the Years of High-Quality Development Cooperation between China and Central Asia (2025-2026) progress, cooperation in green energy, the digital economy, modern agriculture, and other areas will steadily deepen. This will allow more of the results of cooperation to be translated into tangible benefits for the people of Central Asia, giving lasting impetus to building a community with a shared future for China and Central Asia.
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