China’s trade with some Central Asian states unexpectedly declined during the first quarter of 2026, according to the PRC’s General Administration of Customs.But overall trade with the region experienced steady growth.
Kyrgyzstan experienced the biggest drop-off.Trade turnover with the PRC plummeted from $6.1 billion in Q1 2025 to under $4 billion during the same period this year.
It marks a dramatic reversal from what had been a steady, upward trade trend over the previous five years.Turkmenistan’s trade with China also saw a very slight decline, inching down from $2.3 billion in Q1 2025 to $2.2 billion this year.
The PRC’s commerce with other Central Asian countries, however, skyrocketed.China’s bilateral turnover with Kazakhstan grew from $9 billion to $13.2 billion in terms of Q1 year-on-year performance.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s Q1 turnover with China rose from $3 billion last year to $4.1 billion in 2026.Tajikistan’s Q1 year-on-year turnover went from about $840 million to over $1 billion.
For Central Asia as a whole, China’s year-on-year Q1 turnover grew by respectable 15 percent from $21.3 billion to $24.6 billion.When it comes to the balance of trade, China’s advantage has declined.
The PRC’s exports to the region stood at $15.1 billion and imports at $9.5 billion in Q1 2026.That is down from the nearly 2-to-1 ration $13.8 billion vs. $7.5 billion in Q1 2025.
Kazakhstan broke a long-term trade deficit trend with China during Q1 2026, exporting $6.8 billion worth of goods and services, while imports stood at $6.4 billion.
Thus, Kazakhstan has become the second Central Asian state for now to have a positive balance of trade with China.In Q1 2025, Kazakhstan’s trade breakdown was $3 billion in exports to China against $6 billion in imports.
Kyrgyzstan’s exports to the PRC during Q1 this year plummeted to just $38 million whereas imports from the PRC accounted for 99 percent of the $4 billion in bilateral trade.
In Q1 2025, Kyrgyzstan exported $2 billion worth of goods and services, while importing $4 billion.Tajikistan in Q1 2026 doubled its exports to more than $220 million, while importing $800 million in goods and services.
In Q1 2025, the ratio looked worse for Dushanbe $109 million vs. $732 million.Turkmenistan’s supplied China with about $1.9 billion worth of natural gas, while imports totaled $330 million during the first quarter of this year.
Ashgabat has long enjoyed a surplus, thanks to energy exports, in its trade with China.Uzbekistan nearly doubled its exports to China to $524 million, but imports grew at even a higher rate, reaching $3.6 billion in Q1 2026.
Last year for the same period, the numbers were $286 million vs. $2.7 billion.Kazakhstan The Kazakh government and China’s Sichuan Yinhe Chemical Co., Ltd.are working on a binding project implementation agreement to build a chromium processing plant in the Aktobe region, with the Chinese company looking invest $500 million.
A non-binding MoU was signed earlier this year.China’s Beijing Huaxia Jianlong Mining Science & Technology Co., Ltd., also specializing in critical minerals, registered a subsidiary in Kazakhstan and is seeking to invest at least $150 million, according to Kursiv.
Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry approved a deal with the Kazakh-Chinese JV Karaganda Wind Power for the construction of a 500 MW wind farm requiring $645 million in investments.
Details on specific investment obligations in the joint venture were not immediately available.The Kazakh government signed a deal worth $180 million with a Chinese company, East Hope, to build the Astana Energy ecopark.
Kazakh officials are also negotiating for China’s Shenzhen Energy Environment Co., Ltd.to join the project.It is unclear how much the Chinese companies will invest, if anything.
A Chinese company, Snow Valley Agricultural Group Co.Ltd., will invest up to $200 million to construct a potato processing plant in the Pavlodar region, reports Ulysmedia.kz.
Meanwhile, North Kazakhstan regional officials signed an MoU with China’s Silk Way Link LLP to build a grain processing plant, according to Petropavlovsk.news.The number of Kazakh companies approved to export feed meal to China has grown from 27 in March to 46 currently, reports Eldala.kz.
Kazakh automaker Allur and Chinese auto giant GAC International signed a deal covering knocked-down auto assembly of GAC vehicles at a plant in Kostanay, as well as developing the brand’s dealership network and marketing infrastructure within Kazakhstan, according to the Tenge news channel.
Another Chinese auto giant, Chery, announced the launch of its Lepas models in Kazakhstan, to begin later in 2026, writes Kursiv.Tencent has acquired approximately 6 million of Kaspi.kz American Depositary Shares (ADS) from Baring Fintech Venture Funds, according to Ulys Media, which cited the co-founder and CEO of Kaspi.kz.
The deal was also reported by Bloomberg.The Tencent purchase represents about 3 percent of Kaspi.kz’s overall value.Nazarbayev University and the Beijing University of Chemical Technology signed an agreement covering international scientific cooperation, including in energy technologies, new materials, chemical engineering, artificial intelligence, and sustainable low-carbon technologies, reports DKNews.kz.
The PRC also organized various short-term trainings for Kazakh academics, policy experts, mass media professionals, IT specialists, businesses, and first responders.Kyrgyzstan Construction has started on a fertilizer production plant in the Osh region by China’s Hebei Baidujia Fertilizer Co., Ltd., according to Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, who added that the project will help shield Kyrgyzstan from supply disruptions caused by geopolitical developments, such as the warfare in the Persian Gulf, reports Agronews.com.
The Chinese firm has pledged to invest $260 million in the project.Kyrgyzstan imported 32,485 vehicles from China in the first quarter of 2026, compared to 10,995 in Q1 2025, writes Kaktus Media citing the PRC’s General Administration of Customs.
The value of the imports exceeded $710 million.Customs officials in Kyrgyzstan and China’s Xinjiang conducted day-long onsite assessment of the border, according to Open.kg.
They agreed to increase the number of liaison officers, improve mechanisms for responding to vehicle congestion at border crossings, and otherwise enhance cooperation and information exchange.Tajikistan The fourth meeting of the Chinese-Tajik working group on investment cooperation convened in Dushanbe, with no specific results reported.
China also organized a seminar on governance and poverty reduction for top officials of Tajikistan’s ruling party.In addition, a visiting Chinese delegation advised Tajik officials on water supply and sanitation.
Turkmenistan A session of the Turkmen-Chinese Intergovernmental Committee on Cooperation convened April 16 in Ashgabat, with the Chinese delegation headed by Ding Xuexiang, first vice premier of China’s State Council.
The meeting produced agreements covering the energy sector, transport and logistics, artificial intelligence, science, culture, and language.Turkmenistan’s first Luban workshop was launched in connection with Ding’s visit.
Turkmenistan had been the last Central Asian state without one.Central Asia’s first Luban workshop was set up in Tajikistan in 2022.Uzbekistan Uzbekneftegaz, Uzbekistan’s state energy company, reported signing a contract with China’s CNPC XIBU Drilling Engineering Company Ltd to drill an additional 30 exploration wells in the Ustyurt region over the next two years.
Top Chinese and Uzbek MFA officials met for scheduled political consultations, and high-ranking bureaucrats also held a meeting of the intergovernmental sub-commission on scientific and technical cooperation, the Uzbek government reported.
Official statements offered no information on specific results.Uzbek regulators have banned the import and distribution of a number of toys imported from China due to suspected safety hazards, reports Zamin.uz.