China’s trade with Central Asia rose 6.5% in the first half of 2026, pointing to continued growth in commercial ties between Beijing and the region. The latest turnover figures show that China expanded overall trade with the five Central Asian states even as the performance varied sharply from one country to another.
The strongest momentum came from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the two largest economies in Central Asia. Trade with both countries posted solid gains during the first six months of the year, while trade with Tajikistan also increased, adding to the region’s overall rise.
Not every market moved in the same direction. Chinese trade turnover with Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan declined, highlighting a more uneven picture beneath the headline regional growth figure. That split suggests demand, supply routes and bilateral trade conditions are not developing at the same pace across Central Asia.
Even with those declines, the 6.5% increase underlines how important Central Asia remains for China’s regional trade strategy. The latest data indicates that deeper links with the biggest Central Asian economies are helping offset weaker results elsewhere in the region.
