China expands land trade routes to Central Asia amid maritime tensions

In a bid to diversify its export routes amid rising geopolitical tensions affecting maritime trade, Beijing is swiftly developing land trade pathways to Central Asia. For the first time in 2024, China emerged as the largest trading partner for all Central Asian nations, with a 12% increase in trade, surpassing US$100 billion. Exports from China, primarily high-value items, are double the imports, leading to a rapid increase in cargo containerization, a trend mirrored in shipments to Europe. Since April 2024, freight trains have been operating bi-monthly between Chongqing, China, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan, traversing 4,700 km in approximately 12 days, thus reducing transport time to Central Asia by 30% and enhancing profitability.