Key Points
- China’s economic influence in Central Asia reached a record $94.8 billion.
- U.S. officials struggle to reduce Beijing’s growing economic footprint.
- Caucasus nations increasingly rely on Chinese imports as trade shifts.
One of the top foreign policy priorities for top Trump administration officials is thwarting China’s expanding global influence. However, limiting Beijing’s growing economic influence in Central Asia will be extremely difficult for U.S. officials.
China strengthens economic hold on Central Asia with record trade growth
According to data from the country’s General Administration of Customs, China has solidified its position as the leading economic power in the area that borders its western frontier. In 2024, trade turnover increased by almost 5%. Additionally, China is now the top trading partner in Central Asia, surpassing even Russia.
According to data, China benefited greatly from the 2024 trade balance. The total value of trade with Central Asia increased to $94.8 billion from $89.4 billion the year before. Chinese exports to the region accounted for more than two-thirds of this total, valued at $64.2 billion. China imported $30.6 billion worth of goods from Central Asia, primarily natural resources such as oil, natural gas, rare earth elements, precious metals, and minerals. Other significant imports included fruits and foodstuffs.
Beijing dominates trade with Caucasus nations as imports surge
Kazakhstan remained China’s largest trade partner in the region, with bilateral trade reaching $43.8 billion, a nearly 7% increase from the previous year. Kazakhstan imported $28 billion worth of goods and services from China, while its exports to Beijing totaled $15.9 billion.
Kyrgyzstan saw the highest percentage increase in trade with China, with total trade rising by about 15% to $22.7 billion. Notably, Kyrgyzstan’s exports to China surged by an astounding 3,270%, from just $80 million in 2023 to $2.8 billion in 2024. However, the country still ran a massive trade deficit, importing $19.9 billion worth of Chinese goods.
Trade with Turkmenistan, China’s third-largest partner in the region, remained steady at $10.6 billion. Turkmenistan was the only Central Asian country to record a trade surplus with Beijing, exporting $9.6 billion while importing just over $1 billion. The country has maintained a positive trade balance with China since at least 2014, according to GACC data.
According to Oilprice, Azerbaijan led the region in trade with China at nearly $2.5 billion, marking a 43% year-over-year increase. However, the growth was driven entirely by imports, which surged 55% to $2.4 billion. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s exports to China plummeted by 64% to just $61 million.
Georgia’s trade with China grew by about 10% to $2.3 billion, with imports remaining steady at $2 billion. Although exports surged by 142%, the total remained relatively modest at $276 million.
