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China trade with Central Asia rises 6.5% in first half of 2026
Beijing ran a trade surplus with the region, about $34.9 billion to $18.0 billion, while trade with Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan fell.
China’s trade turnover with Central Asia rose 6.5% year on year in the first half of 2026, according to OilPrice, citing data from the PRC’s General Administration of Customs.
The article says overall trade with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan grew, and trade with Tajikistan also increased, while figures for Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan declined.
OilPrice reports that total trade rose from $49.7 billion in the first half of 2025 to $52.94 billion during the same period this year, with a trade balance that favored Beijing by roughly a 2 to 1 ratio, $34.94 billion versus $18.0 billion.
Among the weaker links, the article highlights a sharp, unexplained drop in Kyrgyzstan’s commerce with China, with bilateral turnover falling from $14.25 billion to $9.7 billion year over year and Kyrgyz exports to China plunging to $75 million from $3.89 billion in the first half of 2026, alongside a reduction in imports; it also notes Kyrgyzstan has been accused of serving as a transit hub for sanctioned goods to Russia, with analysts speculating volatility could be tied to Russia’s in-kind payments via gold or other commodities.
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