Categories and shares are drawn from China Customs and the Development Bank of Kazakhstan; grasp the real picture of China–Kazakh economic ties
China has for years been Kazakhstan's largest trading partner; bilateral volume has hit a new record.
Category figures are for 2024 (China Customs; total exports to Kazakhstan US$16.0B). In 2025 several categories grew sharply: textile footwear & apparel reached ¥44.5B (22.4% of exports), high-tech ¥2.66B, home appliances ¥1.13B, and complete vehicles US$720M (63,000 units) — small-displacement passenger cars were the #1 HS-coded commodity.
Ore/oil-gas/copper shares are 2024 Development Bank of Kazakhstan figures (exports to China US$14.9B); agricultural products are 2025 data (US$1.32B, +23.7%), with wheat bran, sunflower oil and rapeseed oil growing fast. In China's imports from Kazakhstan, minerals are ~44% and base metals & articles ~22%.
Land ports and China–Europe rail form an efficient, stable cross-border logistics network
Via the Alashankou–Dostyk and Khorgos–Altynkol dual corridors, linking China and Europe with rising volumes year on year.
In 2025 its rail port ran 9,882 China–Europe (Central Asia) trains with 14.237M tonnes of cargo, 27+ trains per day; import clearance is down to under 16 hours — the largest land port between China and Kazakhstan.
The Kazakh counterpart ports; a broad/gauge transshipment hub and a key node for energy and bulk cargo.
Cooperation across sectors — from capacity to agriculture — keeps deepening
Refining, chemicals and vehicle assembly projects are landing, driving equipment and technology exports.
Investment and trade in grains, oilseeds and livestock grow together; demand for farm imports is strong.
Oil, gas, uranium and metals have long been China's import priorities, with deep cooperation roots.
Highway, rail and urban projects drive exports of construction machinery and materials.
E-commerce platforms open retail channels, taking Chinese consumer goods straight to Kazakh end-markets.
Solar, wind and storage tie-ups are heating up, aligning with Kazakhstan's energy-transition strategy.
Major import demand centers on a few economic hubs
Almaty
Largest economic & import hub
Astana
Capital · infrastructure & government procurement
Shymkent
Southern industrial hub
Karaganda
Central mining & manufacturing
From state-level relations to the stock of investment — why Kazakhstan deserves long-term commitment
Since establishing ties in 1992, the relationship has risen to a permanent comprehensive strategic partnership, with deep political trust.
By end-2024, ~5,000 Chinese-invested enterprises operated in Kazakhstan across manufacturing, energy, agriculture and infrastructure.
The mutual visa-waiver took effect Nov 2023; 36 sister-province/city pairs ease business travel.
In 2026 China's Ministry of Commerce invites Kazakhstan as the "Export to China" theme country, accelerating the goal to double bilateral trade.
Frequent high-level exchanges; trade pacts and green channels keep bringing benefits
Kazakhstan is where the BRI was first proposed; infrastructure, capacity and trade gain long-term policy backing.
Priority categories like farm products enjoy fast clearance and mutual inspection recognition, raising trade efficiency.
Higher shares of RMB/tenge settlement cut FX risk and ease bilateral fund flows.