A China-Central Asia freight train bound for Tashkent via Horgos departs from a station in Tianjin Port in North China's Tianjin, May 20, 2025. Photo: Xinhua

China became the largest trading partner of all Central Asian countries for the first time in 2025, as two-way trade between China and the region hit the $100 billion threshold to reach a record high, with Central Asia accounting for a growing share of China's overall foreign trade, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Sunday.

Analysts said the milestone underscores not only an expansion in trade size, but also a qualitative shift toward higher-value products, new trade formats and closer trade-investment integration.

Under the strategic guidance of heads-of-state diplomacy, China-Central Asia economic and trade cooperation made solid progress last year, a MOFCOM official said in a statement. Customs data show that two-way goods trade reached $106.3 billion in 2025, up 12 percent year on year, with the growth rate accelerating by 6 percentage points compared with one year earlier. 

The ministry said China-Central Asia trade has recorded positive growth for five consecutive years, reflecting, as the analysts said, the sustained momentum of bilateral economic ties and growing role of Central Asia in China's overall foreign trade.

Beyond headline growth, the structure of trade is improving too. China's exports to Central Asia totaled $71.2 billion, up 11 percent year on year, driven by strong growth in mechanical and electrical products as well as high-tech goods. The market share of China's "new trio" products — electric vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products — expanded steadily.

Official data showed that imports from Central Asia reached $35.1 billion, marking an increase of 14 percent. In addition to traditional energy and resource products, China imported a broader range of non-resource goods, including chemicals, steel products and agricultural produce, pointing to what analysts described as a more balanced and resilient trade structure.

New business models are powering bilateral trade now. Cross-border e-commerce between China and Central Asia maintained rapid growth, while warehousing and logistics infrastructure continued to improve. Cooperation in cross-border payments has also been rolled out more broadly, according to MOFCOM.

A China-Central Asia trade facilitation cooperation platform was launched in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province, on June 6, 2025, during the second China-Central Asia Summit. And, the "Silk Road e-commerce" framework is emerging as an efficient bridge for connecting markets on both sides, the ministry said in the statement.

Trade growth has been closely intertwined with deeper investment cooperation. As high-quality Belt and Road cooperation advances, a number of major projects in connectivity, equipment manufacturing, green mining and modern agriculture have moved ahead at a faster pace. 

These projects have not only driven China's exports to the region, but also supported industrial upgrading and economic revitalization in Central Asian countries, according to MOFCOM.

Looking ahead, the ministry said it will fully implement the key outcomes of the China-Central Asia Summit, with a focus on improving the quality and efficiency of economic and trade cooperation. Priorities include optimizing their trade structure, cultivating new business models, and promoting integrated development of trade and investment.

China will also work to establish higher-level institutional arrangements, further enriching the economic and trade foundations of the China-Central Asia community with a shared future, the official said.


Global Times