Kazakhstan border jams affect up to quarter of China’s imports

Traffic jams at Kazakhstan’s border checkpoints have impacted up to 25 per cent of imports from China, according to Alexey Zakhudalin, head of logistics at Service Logistics Company (SLK).

“By our estimates, in November 2025, between 10 and 25 per cent of all consumer imports from China were stuck at the Kazakhstan border,” Zakhudalin told Lenta.ru.

Zakhudalin commented on the consequences of truck congestion at Kazakhstan’s borders in September–November 2025, noting that the share of shipments through the country can vary depending on the logistics company. He added that inspections at Russia-Kazakhstan checkpoints significantly affected the rerouting of logistics flows to alternative routes.

Meanwhile, Andrey Dmitrichev, CEO of transport and forwarding company MTA Group, said that Kazakh authorities maintained strict controls over dual-use goods, footwear, clothing, and microelectronics.

“The route remains risky due to unpredictability and potential additional costs, which is why it is often deprioritised in logistics planning,” Dmitrichev said.

The congestion began in mid-September 2025 at Kazakhstan’s checkpoints with Russia and China, following tightened customs inspections. In early October, the situation worsened when all checkpoints on the China–Kazakhstan border were closed, intensifying the problem: around 2,500 trucks were stuck on the Russia–Kazakhstan border, and up to 10,000 trucks queued at the China–Kazakhstan border.

By Vugar Khalilov