Overview

• On June 16 in Astana, China and the five former Soviet republics of Central Asia signed a treaty of good neighborliness, friendship and eternal cooperation.
• Sino–Central Asian trade reached a record $94.8 billion in 2024, making China the region’s largest economic partner and surpassing ties with Russia and the EU.
• The five countries have deepened coordination through “5+1” summits with China, Russia, the EU and other powers to diversify strategic partnerships.
• Moscow’s influence in the region has weakened since the war in Ukraine, creating a vacuum that Beijing is increasingly filling.
• Growing public concern over debt levels, land ownership issues, and potential sovereignty erosion reflects local unease with China’s expanding projects.