Since 2023, China remains a key trading partner of Kazakhstan, accounting for more than 20% of the country’s total trade turnover, according to analysts at the Association of Financiers of Kazakhstan (afk.kz).
In the first half of 2025, Kazakhstan-China trade grew by 5.9%, reaching $14.9 billion. However, the growth was only due to Kazakh imports from China (+22.8%), while Kazakh exports to China decreased by almost 10%. The decline in exports was mainly due to falling oil and metal prices and a decrease in demand from China. At the same time, imports from China continue to grow amid expanding domestic consumption in Kazakhstan and the intensification of infrastructure projects.
In the first half of 2025, the negative balance in Kazakhstan’s trade with China reached $1.8 billion compared to $0.4 billion for the entire 2024.
In the first half of 2025, China’s share in Kazakhstan’s total trade turnover increased to 22.6% (20.7% a year earlier). This was due to a 28.6% growth of Kazakh imports from China (23.9% growth a year before), while Kazakh exports decreased by 17.8% (18.4% a year before).
In the Kazakh exports to China, the share of animal and plant products (+$164 million) and vehicles (+$160 million) increased, while the shares of mineral products (-$599 million) and metals (-$408 million) decreased. In the Kazakh imports from China, the main growth was in transport vehicles (+$1.2 billion), metals (+$279 million), and chemical products (+$231 million).
In the imports from China, supplies of food, furniture, construction materials, and consumer goods increased significantly, reflecting the growing demand for Chinese products in the Kazakhstani market.
Analysts at the Association of Financiers of Kazakhstan predict that in the near future, imports from China will most likely continue to grow, while Kazakh export revenues will heavily depend on the recovery of raw material prices and demand for metallurgical products.
