Central Asia and China see significant trade growth in first half of 2023
China's General Administration of Customs has released trade data for the first half of 2023 with Central Asian countries. Turkmenistan is the only one of the five states in the region with a positive trade balance with China.
Overall, China exported about $26.4 billion worth of goods to Central Asia during the first six months of the year, while imports totaled almost $13.5 billion, mostly from oil and natural gas.
According to the Chinese department, trade with Turkmenistan increased by 12.3% to $5.55 billion; exports to Turkmenistan amounted to $476 million, imports - $5.076 billion, of which gas supplies - $5.058 billion.
PRC Customs Administration data shows a sharp increase in trade between China and other Central Asian states in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2022:
Uzbekistan: trade increased by 26.8%, reaching almost $6.1 billion. Chinese exports to Uzbekistan amounted to about $5.46 billion, while imports amounted to about $629 million.
Kazakhstan: trade increased by 26.8% to $18.25 billion; exports to Kazakhstan reached $10.63 billion, imports $7.62 billion.
Kyrgyzstan: trade increased by 27.6% to $7.92 billion; exports to the Kyrgyz Republic amounted to $7.89 billion, imports $26 million.
Tajikistan: trade soared 84.7% to $2.11 billion; exports to Tajikistan amounted to $1.96 billion, imports - $152 million.
ORIENT news
