At a recent roundtable in Bishkek focused on economic relations with China, former Kyrgyz Prime Minister and ex-presidential economic advisor Akylbek Japarov urged Central Asian countries to enhance coordination on regional transport infrastructure.
He highlighted that Kyrgyz transport companies are increasingly considering transit through the Chinese city of Kashgar as the most efficient route, The Caspian Post reports citing The Times of Central Asia.
Japarov argued that China, given its global stature, should engage with Central Asia as a unified and coordinated region rather than as a collection of separate states. “We are facing both an opportunity and a challenge,” he said. “We must think not in terms of competition between countries, but as a single interconnected system. Only in this way will we achieve sustainable growth and maintain our independence in the new world order.”
Eastern Shift: Freight Volumes Rise Through China
According to the Kyrgyz Association of International Carriers, a growing volume of freight is now transported through China, and this trend is expected to accelerate following the completion of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.
Deputy Chairman of the Association, Igor Golubev, told The Times of Central Asia that private carriers are independently negotiating routes with transit countries across both eastern and western corridors. “We are actively cooperating with neighboring countries, developing new routes, and finalizing logistics. There are some challenges, like visa issues and fuel surcharges, but they are all solvable,” Golubev said.
Previously, some carriers established routes through Turkmenbashi to transport goods across the Caspian and Black Seas to Europe. However, a shortage of ferries in Turkmenistan has created a serious bottleneck. In response, the Turkmen government is reportedly exploring the purchase of additional vessels.
Western Routes: Costly and Complex
Logistics along western routes remain difficult. Sanctions and transit restrictions through Russia, the shortest and most economical path to Europe, have forced freight operators to reroute via the so-called Middle Corridor. This involves ferrying goods across the Black Sea to Georgia, transporting them to Azerbaijan, then shipping them across the Caspian Sea to Aktau (Kazakhstan) or Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan), and continuing overland to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
“This route is very expensive. Waiting for ferries adds to the costs,” Golubev explained. “We rarely use the Black Sea route. European cargo is primarily transported via Turkey, Iran, and the Caspian Sea. These logistics remain expensive and time-consuming.”
Exploring Southern Routes: Pakistan and the Push Toward Karachi
As Chinese industrial output continues to expand, the country’s existing logistics infrastructure is increasingly strained. Beijing is investing in new railways, expanding route networks, and seeking to streamline carrier operations.
Amid high costs and administrative hurdles in western corridors, Kyrgyz carriers are turning to the east and south. Last year, Pakistani transport companies and wholesalers participated in the Kyrgyzstan Logistics Forum. Talks are now underway to secure access to Pakistan’s port of Karachi.
“We had planned a joint motor rally with Pakistan, but tensions at the India-Pakistan border forced us to postpone,” Golubev said. A new route is being considered that would pass through China and Iran, bypassing Afghanistan. “Pakistanis are already using Afghan transit to deliver goods from Central Asia,” he added.
Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are also in discussions with China and Pakistan to facilitate transit via the Karakoram Highway, which links western China to Karachi. Golubev confirmed that Kashgar has already become a favored logistics hub for Kyrgyz carriers.
Strategic Access: Iran’s Growing Role in Regional Trade
Following a free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Tehran is emerging as a key logistics hub. Iran offers strategic access to both the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf, including via the port of Bandar Abbas, a vital point for cargo from Gulf states such as the UAE and Qatar.
Government Support for Logistics Expansion
Kyrgyz authorities have taken steps to support the private logistics sector. A new tariff policy and revised customs transit fees were introduced last year to boost revenue and reduce corruption. Efforts are also underway to increase the capacity of the Torugart and Irkeshtam border crossings with China.
