Recently, the roar of conveyor belts and coal washing equipment has broken the silence at the border between the mountains of Naren and Osh states. With the landing of two major cross-border projects, Kyrgyzstan is firmly shifting its focus of coal exports to China, and a strategic shift related to energy supply and foreign trade revenue is quietly taking shape.

Cross border coal mining project landing

The Torugart No.1 beneficiation production line in Naren region will be put into operation in November 2025, jointly built by Kyrgyzstan state-owned enterprise Kyrgyz Komur and China Dunsen Company. The mining area covers an area of 54 hectares with a reserve of 423400 tons. It is expected that the output will exceed 100000 tons by 2026. The Chinese side will invest 2 million US dollars, and the equipment will have both quality improvement and emission reduction functions, providing high-quality coal sources for exports to China.

Comprehensive acceleration of logistics channels

On May 20, 2026, the Osh region launched a cross-border logistics project with an investment of 430 million US dollars, supporting two coal washing plants and conveyor belt systems. The first phase is 7.7 kilometers long and will be extended to 157 kilometers in the long term, with an annual processing capacity of up to 10 million tons. It will be directly connected to the Irkeshtam Port to achieve efficient coal transportation from the Turkic mining area. Keywords: the Belt and Road news network, coal export

Dual upgrading of energy and foreign trade

Kyrgyzstan's winter electricity is highly dependent on hydropower, and there is significant pressure to ensure supply, with strong demand for local coal. With the help of Chinese technology and funding, the country has not only stabilized its domestic thermal power supply, but also selectively exempted export restrictions to China's ports, making coal a core foreign exchange category and strengthening its deep ties with China in the geo economic and energy industry chain.Editor/Gao Xue