According to a report in China Daily on February 7, 2026
BEIJING — China has emerged as the largest trading partner for Central Asian countries, with bilateral trade surpassing $106 billion in 2025, driven by deepening economic ties and strategic cooperation, official data and experts said.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, trade between China and Central Asia exceeded the $100 billion mark for the first time, marking five consecutive years of positive growth. Data from China Customs showed a 12% year-on-year increase, with the growth rate accelerating by 6 percentage points compared to 2024.
Analysts attribute the surge to high-frequency interactions and precise alignment of strategic interests, underpinned by active policy coordination among Chinese and Central Asian authorities. “The most significant consensus is a shared commitment to mutual benefit and regional development,” said Li Ziguo, director of the China Institute of International Studies’ Department for European-Central Asian Studies.
The trade structure is also evolving, with innovative arrangements and Chinese investments fueling reindustrialization and economic modernization across the region. Financial institutions, including the China-Eurasian Economic Cooperation Fund, the Silk Road Fund, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the China Development Bank, have provided critical financing support, while cross-border electronic payment agreements, such as those between Kazakhstan’s Kaspi.kz and China’s Alipay and WeChat, have streamlined transactions.
“The China-Central Asia partnership extends beyond trade,” said Timur Abylaev, deputy director of the National Institute for Strategic Initiatives under the President of Kyrgyzstan. “It includes sharing governance experience and exploring modernization paths, with the Chinese model offering practical lessons for national development.”
China’s trade with Central Asia reflects broader trends in its global economic engagement. With a total foreign trade volume exceeding $6.35 trillion last year, China remains a primary trading partner for over 160 countries, leveraging its scale and investment capacity to expand influence in strategically important regions.