Gas Trade Pivot: Uzbekistan Expands China Exports as Regional Imports Slump

Uzbekistan has boosted its natural gas exports to China by 40% in the first eight months of 2025.

Meanwhile, the country’s gas imports from Turkmenistan and Russia have dropped by 27.9%, totaling $885.9 million-a decline sustained over two consecutive months, The Caspian Post reports, citing Uzbek media.

According to data from the National Statistics Committee, Uzbekistan imported more natural gas than it exported in January-August 2025.

In the January-August period, imports of blue fuel from Turkmenistan and Russia dropped by 27.9 percent to $885.9 million. Monthly figures show a decline in early 2025: $27.8 million in January, $8 million in February, and $2.7 million in March. Imports then rebounded in April ($112 million), May ($135 million), and June ($286.3 million), before moderating to $162.2 million in July and $151.9 million in August.

During the same period, gas exports to China rose by 24.1 percent to $494.7 million. Monthly shipments included $21.8 million in January, $20.2 million in February, $52.3 million in March, $105.4 million in April, $88.3 million in May, $66.9 million in June, $83.7 million in July, and $56.1 million in August.

Data from Chinese customs show slightly higher figures, indicating that Uzbekistan exported $563.2 million worth of gas to China in January-August, a 40.27 percent increase compared with the same period last year.

Chinese customs also reported that monthly exports from Uzbekistan increased by 9.32 percent - from $94.4 million in July to $103.2 million in August - marking a 6 percent rise compared with August 2024.

Russia remains the top gas exporter to China, supplying $6.49 billion of blue fuel in the first eight months of 2025. Turkmenistan follows with $5.7 billion, Myanmar $1.05 billion, and Kazakhstan $731.5 million. The United States and Italy also exported smaller volumes to China.