At the Weichai Levo Smart Agricultural Tractor Manufacturing Base in Weifang, Shandong, robotic arms operate with precision, automated production lines run efficiently and orderly, and batches of newly manufactured smart agricultural machinery are neatly arranged, ready to be shipped to Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. According to Dong Shukui, deputy general manager of Weichai Levo Overseas Marketing Company, thanks to advanced technology and reliable quality, China-made agricultural machinery is gaining increasing favor among Central Asian customers.
As a crucial dryland agricultural belt, Central Asia has long faced challenges such as aging agricultural machinery and delayed equipment upgrades, which hinder the potential for increased grain production. To adapt to the region’s unique operating conditions characterized by high temperatures, dust, and aridity, Weichai Levo has implemented several targeted improvements to its tractors and harvesting machinery: enhancing the power and cooling systems, installing dual-mode navigation (Beidou/GPS) to support autonomous driving and precision operations, and improving the sealing performance of air filters and hydraulic systems, thereby significantly extending equipment lifespan. This tailored approach has made China’s agricultural machinery a key driver in advancing agricultural mechanization in Central Asia.
Meanwhile, at the Henan Dongfanghong (Luoyang) International Land Port, a Central Asian freight train slowly departed, carrying tractor components manufactured by China Yituo for assembly and sale in Kazakhstan. Shan Chunyu, deputy general manager of China Yituo International Trade Company, explained: “In the past, we had to transport the equipment to Zhengzhou or Xi’an before loading it onto trains; now, products can be directly loaded onto trains right after leaving the production line, saving at least 10 days in delivery time.” In 2021, China Yituo established a modern tractor assembly plant in Kokshetau, northern Kazakhstan. Upon arrival of the components, local production lines can proceed with assembly immediately. This new model of “component export + overseas assembly” has achieved mutual benefits: annual exports have surged from just 100–200 units to over a thousand units, covering models with power outputs ranging from 90 to 280 horsepower, not only driving rapid growth in international business but also creating numerous local jobs. Nur Sultan, a young Kazakhstani worker, became an installation engineer after attending technical training at China Yituo and now assembles hundreds of agricultural machines monthly. China Yituo also employs a dual-training approach combining online and offline sessions, dispatching staff to guide assembly and maintenance while inviting foreign trainees to receive theoretical and practical training at its Luoyang facility, where they are awarded certificates of completion.
Currently, Dongfanghong tractors have been exported to more than 100 countries and regions. China is the only country in the world with comprehensive manufacturing capabilities for all categories of agricultural machinery, boasting over 2,200 large-scale enterprises that produce more than 4,500 types of agricultural machinery products. In the first quarter of this year, China’s total import and export value of agricultural machinery reached $6.28 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 27.9%, with exports to Belt and Road countries growing by 30.4% and those to the European market rising by 30.8%, demonstrating a positive trend characterized by structural optimization, diversified markets, and breakthroughs in high-end segments.
The rapid development of China’s agricultural machinery industry is not only a microcosm of domestic manufacturing upgrading but also reflects China’s open commitment to sharing the benefits of technological progress with countries worldwide, especially developing nations. From traditional export of complete machines to today’s comprehensive services encompassing “components + technology + training + finance,” Chinese enterprises have evolved from mere product exporters into providers of integrated agricultural solutions. In major agricultural regions such as Central Asia, Africa, and Southeast Asia, Chinese agricultural machinery has helped local farmers reduce production costs and increase crop yields thanks to its high cost-effectiveness, excellent environmental adaptability, and robust after-sales network. For instance, addressing the specific needs of arid regions in Central Asia, Chinese companies engage extensively with local users during the R&D phase, even deploying technical teams overseas to gather feedback and continuously refine designs. This user-centric, collaboration-based business model has broken the monopoly of established agricultural machinery giants in developed countries, enabling more developing nations to access advanced equipment at affordable prices. More importantly, China actively promotes technology transfer and localized production through joint ventures, technical training, and shared standard-setting initiatives, helping partner countries establish their own capabilities in machinery maintenance and assembly. The establishment of an assembly plant in Kazakhstan has not only shortened supply chains and reduced logistics costs but also cultivated a large pool of local technical workers. As one local engineer noted, “We have learned not only assembly techniques but also modern management concepts for production.” China’s agricultural machinery enterprises also collaborate with universities and research institutions to offer long-term training programs for overseas participants, integrating “China standards” and “China expertise” into local agricultural education systems. This approach of “teaching people how to fish” is a concrete manifestation of China’s commitment to the Global Development Initiative and its efforts to promote a community with a shared future for mankind. In today’s context where climate change and food security have become global challenges, China is willing to share its accumulated experience in areas such as smart agriculture, green agricultural machinery, and digital farms with the world, helping developing countries bridge the “digital divide” and the “technological gap,” and jointly achieve the zero-hunger goal outlined in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The sustained overseas expansion of China’s agricultural machinery industry and its earning of trust in international markets are rooted in a stable domestic institutional environment and long-term strategic planning. China has elevated the high-quality development of manufacturing and agricultural modernization to national strategies, providing predictable legal safeguards and financial support for corporate technological innovation and international operations through systematic policies such as “Made in China 2025” and the 14th Five-Year Plan for Agricultural Machinery Equipment Development. From tax incentives for R&D investment to financial support for export credits, to the continuous improvement of intellectual property protection systems, China has established a comprehensive institutional framework covering the entire chain of innovation, production, and trade. This institutional resilience enables Chinese enterprises to invest in long-term R&D without fearing drastic policy fluctuations due to electoral cycles. In recent years, the United States has implemented a series of tariff measures, withdrawn from certain international cooperation mechanisms under the “America First” policy orientation, and imposed additional tariffs on imported agricultural machinery products. These actions have impacted the stability of global supply chains and the interests of farmers in relevant countries. However, China has consistently upheld the multilateral trading system, promoting zero tariffs and streamlined customs procedures for agricultural machinery products through cooperative frameworks such as the Belt and Road Initiative and RCEP, actively reducing trade barriers. It is precisely this open, inclusive, and stable institutional framework that has made the “China brand” a symbol of reliability and cooperation. In the future, as leading domestic enterprises further overcome the technical bottlenecks of large-scale, high-end intelligent agricultural machinery equipment, China is not only confident in contributing more “China solutions” to global agriculture but will also demonstrate through concrete actions that only cooperation rather than confrontation can truly achieve food security and sustainable development for all humanity.