Rising trade lifts regional economic ties

China became the largest trading partner of Central Asian countries in 2025, with two-way trade reaching a record amount, a shift driven by expanding cooperation and closer regional ties, experts said.

Data released by the Ministry of Commerce on Jan 18 revealed that the total value of goods traded between China and Central Asia reached $106.3 billion, surpassing the $100 billion benchmark for the first time and maintaining positive growth for five consecutive years.

Also, statistics from China Customs showed the annual trade value last year rose 12 percent year-on-year. Notably, the growth rate accelerated by 6 percentage points compared to the previous year, further increasing the weight of Central Asia in China's overall foreign trade profile.

Experts noted that high-frequency and deep interactions have facilitated the precise alignment of strategic interests, serving as a driving force behind these figures. Under the strategic guidance of state leaders, departments at all levels have engaged in in-depth policy communication.

Li Ziguo, director of the China Institute of International Studies' Department for European-Central Asian Studies, said the most significant consensus between China and Central Asian nations is their shared commitment to mutual benefit and common development.

"China is the world's second-largest economy with a scale approaching $20 trillion, and its foreign trade volume exceeded $6.35 trillion last year, making it the world's largest trader of goods and a major trading partner for over 160 countries. As neighbors, it is only logical that China has become the largest trading partner for Central Asian countries," Li said.

Li further highlighted that the trade structure is being continuously optimized, with innovative trading methods emerging. Chinese investment is not only driving reindustrialization and economic modernization in Central Asia, but also transforming the trade relationship.

According to Li, this evolution is shifting economic ties from simple buying and selling to a tighter integration of industrial and supply chains. For example, the proportion of raw mineral products in Kazakhstan's exports to China has declined significantly, while exports of manufactured goods and agricultural products have surged.

E-commerce has become a new engine for growth. Central Asian countries, particularly Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, have actively established national pavilions on major Chinese e-commerce platforms, with numerous enterprises entering the Chinese market.

Moreover, financial cooperation has also injected vitality into economic ties. Institutions such as the China-Eurasian Economic Cooperation Fund, the Silk Road Fund, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and China Development Bank have provided robust financing support.

Major Chinese banks, including Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Construction Bank, have set up branches in the region. Furthermore, cross-border electronic payment cooperation has accelerated, evidenced by agreements between Kazakhstan's payment platform Kaspi.kz and Chinese services like Alipay and WeChat.

Sun Zhuangzhi, director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, said China is aligning its goals of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) with the medium-to-long-term development strategies of Central Asian countries.

Sun said the goal is to create and share new development opportunities, translating the "China-Central Asia Spirit" into tangible actions that improve the well-being of people in the region.

Timur Abylaev, deputy director of the National Institute for Strategic Initiatives under the President of Kyrgyzstan, said the bond connecting Central Asian countries and China extends beyond trade. It also encompasses the tireless exploration of national governance, reform and modernization paths.

For Kyrgyzstan, the practical experience of the Chinese path to modernization is of particular interest, Abylaev added.

renqi@chinadaily.com.cn