China tops list of Kazakhstan's trade partners in 2023

China, Russia and Italy were the main export markets for Kazakhstani goods in 2023, according to the press service of the QazTrade Center for Trade Policy Development, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

According to the company’s press service, China topped the list of export markets for Kazakhstani goods in 2023, with the export representing 56.3% of Kazakhstan’s trade turnover with the country. China accounted for 31.5 billion US dollars of the total foreign trade of Kazakhstan.

The country’s second-top importer was Russia, with 26 billion US dollars worth of goods exported to the country last year. It is followed by Italy ($16.1bn), South Korea ($6bn), and Türkiye ($6bn).

Kazakhstan mainly exported crude oil and petroleum products, and imported equipment, motor transport, components, electrical engineering equipment, and non-precious metals.

As QazTrade informed, the country increased the number of export markets from 131 to 135. Kazakhstan saw its non-primary exports grow by 10% to China, 34% to Hong Kong, 30% to South Korea, and 64% to Vietnam. The country also saw its export of manufactured goods decline 9.8% and agricultural products 3.7%.