China and the countries of Central Asia have published data on mutual trade for 2022, but the figures presented by them are very different, Eurasianet reports.
«This shows that a significant part of the trade may be in the shadow sector and contribute to the flourishing of corruption in the region,» the media outlet notes.
The article provides information on trade of China with all states of the region, including statistics for Kyrgyzstan.
The General Administration of Customs of the PCR said that last year the Kyrgyz Republic increased trade with China by 5 percent to $15.5 billion.
At the same time, exports from China to Kyrgyzstan amounted to $15.42 billion, and imports to China from the Kyrgyz Republic — $81.66 million. Kyrgyzstan has published statistics for only 11 months of 2022 so far, but there is still a discrepancy. According to the National Statistical Committee, the country’s total foreign trade turnover amounted to only $10.57 billion.
«Thus, China says that the Kyrgyz Republic has traded over $15.5 billion with it alone, and Kyrgyzstan claims that it has traded with all the countries of the world for only $10.57 billion (including the CIS countries, which account for about a half of all trade). That is trade with China can not amount to more than $5 billion. It is not clear what explains such a huge gap. But in the past, this has also been reportedly linked to smuggling and corruption,» the article says.
