China’s Trade Growth with Central Asia and Russia in 2022–2023
China expanded its trade with Central Asian nations to a substantial 70.2 billion dollars in 2022, a jump from the prior year. This increase reflects data drawn from the European Commission and the International Trade Center and reported by RBC. The transformation underscores a shift in regional supply chains, with Central Asia emerging as a more integrated partner in China’s broader trade network.
In the same period, Russia’s trading flow with China also rose, moving from 35.7 billion dollars to 42 billion dollars in 2022. The growth aligns with ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral economic ties and demonstrates a steady upward trajectory in Sino-Russian commerce that continued into early 2023.
Among Central Asian partners, Kazakhstan led in commerce with China, recording a trade value of 31.1 billion dollars in 2022. This milestone highlights Kazakhstan’s strategic role as a key gateway to China for the wider region, driven by infrastructural developments, energy deals, and cross-border logistics improvements that facilitate higher volumes of trade.
On May 24, during discussions with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasized the bright prospects for practical Sino-Russian cooperation and noted that the partnership is advancing steadily. The dialogue reflected a shared commitment to deepening collaboration across sectors, from energy and transport to technology and finance, reinforcing a durable bilateral framework.
Looking back to late 2022 and into 2023, Mishustin highlighted Russia’s rising status as a trading partner with China. He noted that Russia climbed from tenth to seventh place among China’s top partners in the first quarter of 2023, covering January through March. He projected that by the end of 2022, two-way trade would reach about 190 billion dollars, and that the figure for the first quarter of 2023 alone would approach 52 billion dollars, signaling continued momentum in the bilateral economic relationship.
These developments illustrate how market forces, infrastructure enhancements, and strategic policy choices are shaping the Asia–Europe trade landscape. They suggest that Central Asia’s role as a vital regression corridor for goods and energy, combined with Russia’s position as a long-standing supplier and partner, will influence regional and global supply chains well into the coming years. Observers note that ongoing diversification in both regions is likely to sustain robust trade growth under a multi-laceted geopolitical and economic environment.