China’s exports to Central Asia are booming

Central Asia is becoming one of Eurasia’s main trade and transit hubs, with Kazakhstan in the forefront.

Sino-Central Asian trade turnover stood at US$89.4 billion at the end of 2023, a 27% increase over the 2022 level of $70.2 billion, according to China’s Customs Agency. Of that total, US$61.4 billion represented Chinese exports to the region.

Trade between China and Kazakhstan alone clocked in at a whopping $41 billion – or 46% of China’s total trade turnover with all of Central Asia. That represents a 32% increase over its 2022 turnover at year’s end.