Forbes: China Has Displaced Russia From The Arms Market In Central Asia
- 13.09.2026, 15:55
The war against Ukraine has severely weakened Moscow's position.
Against the backdrop of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Central Asian countries are increasingly strengthening their ties with China. Beijing has consolidated its position not only in trade and the economy, but also in the arms market, which has long been considered the Kremlin’s sphere of influence.
According to Forbes, according to the Caspian Policy Center, China’s trade volume with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan exceeded $70 billion in 2022 and $90 billion in 2023. By 2025, this figure had reached $106 billion
According to experts, this trend indicates a gradual increase in the economic dependence of the region’s countries on China. However, as the publication notes, the matter is not limited to economic cooperation. China is actively expanding its military ties with Central Asian countries and offering them equipment previously supplied by Russia.
According to Eurasianet, China has challenged Moscow’s long-standing monopoly on the Central Asian arms market.
In particular, Kazakhstan has acquired Chinese Wing Loong-1 attack drones and Y-8F-200 military transport aircraft. The country also held negotiations on the purchase of K-8W combat trainer aircraft and other transport aircraft.
In August, Uzbekistan received four Chinese multi-role combat aircraft. The country also purchased anti-aircraft missile systems from China.
Turkmenistan also acquired Chinese air defense systems, while Tajikistan received armored vehicles. Kyrgyzstan, for its part, purchased vehicles and military equipment from China.
Why Have Countries in the Region Turned to China?
One of the reasons for this shift, as the publication notes, is the international sanctions against Russia imposed due to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The restrictions have hindered Russia’s access to a number of foreign components and technologies. This, in turn, has created problems for the production and delivery of some military equipment.
At the same time, Central Asian countries are not subject to the same sanctions restrictions regarding China. Consequently, Beijing has become an alternative supplier of military hardware and equipment for them.
Moscow continues to try to maintain its influence
Despite China’s growing role, Central Asian countries are not severing ties with Russia. At the same time, the region’s states are trying to diversify their foreign relations. They are holding talks with the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union on trade, energy, and security issues.
The publication emphasized that this trend could pose a serious challenge for Russia.
“Moscow continues to maintain significant political and economic influence in the region, but China is gradually gaining a larger share of the market in trade and defense,” the journalists noted.
Whether this will lead to a weakening of Russia’s traditional dominance in Central Asia will depend on how quickly Beijing expands its presence and how quickly the countries in the region diversify their ties, the publication concluded.