Uzbekistan has significantly boosted its official imports of cellular phones from China by over 40% in 2023, according to the Statistics Agency.
The past year saw the import of 3.4 million mobile phones across the republic, marking an increase of 476,000 units compared to 2022. The total value of these imports rose by 20%—from $199 million to $240.1 million.
China has emphatically taken the lead as the top exporter to Uzbekistan with 3.1 million units supplied, increasing its share from 75.8% to a dominating 91.1% of the overall import market.
Vietnam claimed the second spot, expanding its exports by 27% to reach 276,800 units.
The United Arab Emirates, which previously held second place, has nearly ceased exporting mobile phones to Uzbekistan, with a dramatic reduction by 31.7 times to just 7,800 units.
Despite a fivefold drop in exports to the republic, India has managed to maintain its position among the top three cellular phone suppliers to Uzbekistan, contributing over 37,000 units.
This marked growth in imports from China indicates a significant shift in Uzbekistan's mobile phone market, highlighting a greater reliance on Chinese-made smartphones. The considerable decline in phone imports from other previously key exporters like the UAE underlines changing patterns in global trade and commerce. With these developments, Uzbekistan has improved its official import channels, strengthening the trade relationships with its largest Asian trading partners.
