Trade between China and Central Asian states surged in 2023, according to data published by China’s customs agency, or GACC. But the flow of commerce is increasingly favoring Beijing.

Annual trade turnover for the region as reported by the GACC totaled $89.4 billion in 2023, a 27 percent increase over the previous year’s level of $70.2 billion. The balance of trade, however, was lopsided: goods and services exported to Central Asian states amounted to $61.4 billion, while Beijing’s imports from the region were worth $28 billion.

Kazakhstan was China’s largest trade partner in 2023, with bilateral trade turnover reaching $41 billion, a 32 percent increase over the previous year’s total. Kazakh exports to China were worth $16.3 billion, imports amount $24.7 billion.

Tajikistan achieved the greatest percentage gain year-on-year with China, with trade turnover soaring 54 percent this year compared with 2022’s number. However, the volume of Tajik-Chinese trade was the lowest of any Central Asian state, totaling $3.9 billion. The GACC figures show that Tajikistan’s exports to China accounted for only $250 million of the overall turnover amount.

Turkmenistan was the only Central Asian state to experience a decline in trade volume with China. Annual bilateral turnover in 2023 was down 5.2 percent to $10.6 billion, compared to the previous year’s figures. At the same time, Turkmenistan was an exception in terms of balance of trade, with the total tilting firmly in Ashgabat’s favor because of natural gas exports. 

Turkmen exports to China accounted for $9.6 billion of the annual total. That number, however, was 6.6 percent lower than 2022’s amount. China’s $1 billion in exports to Turkmenistan in 2023 marked an 11.3 percent increase over the previous year’s figure.

Kyrgyzstan increased trade turnover with China by 28.8 percent to $19.8 billion. Like Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan’s balance of trade was entirely one-sided. Bishkek’s exports to China amounted to a measly $80 million.

China’s annual turnover with Uzbekistan rose by 45 percent in 2023, totaling $14 billion, with the balance heavily weighted toward Beijing. Uzbek exports, according to the GACC, accounted for $1.6 billion of the total figure. 

Statistics provided by Central Asian states often do not align with official Chinese data. For example, Uzbekistan’s Statistics Agency has reported bilateral Uzbek-Chinese trade turnover for 2023 at $13.7 billion. The Uzbek figures valued exports to China at $2.5 billion and imports at $11.2 billion.