Uzbekistan’s gas exports to China drop 2.5 times in Q1 2026

Uzbekistan’s exports of gas to China fell by around 2.5 times to $36.7 million in the first quarter of 2026.

The country suspended the supplies in January, resumed them in February at $7.1 million, and then increased exports in March to $29.4 million, Caliber.Az reports, citing Uzbekistan’s National Statistics Committee.

However, official statistics differ significantly from figures released by China’s General Administration of Customs, which reported Uzbek gas exports of just over $1 million for January–March. The discrepancy reportedly exceeds $35 million.

Chinese data also indicate a suspension of gas imports from Uzbekistan in February and March. Compared to the same period in 2025 ($70.8 million), exports reportedly fell 65-fold.

Russia remained the leading supplier of gas to China, exporting $2.3 billion worth of fuel in the first quarter.

Turkmenistan ranked second with $1.88 billion, followed by Myanmar ($384.1 million), Kazakhstan ($117.8 million), and Uzbekistan ($1.08 million).

Uzbekistan imported more natural gas than it exported in the first quarter of 2026, the agency notes. 

Imports of natural gas from Turkmenistan and Russia rose 2.2 times year-on-year to $360.5 million.

After shipments worth $167.6 million in January, imports fell sharply to $34.6 million in February before rebounding to $158.3 million in March.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov