Trade via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) that crosses the Caspian Sea has jumped since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022, as European countries seek to avoid imports that transit Russia.

Kazakhstan has agreed to "jointly develop" the route with Beijing, launching a "trial run for the transportation of lithium-ion batteries from China" in December, Kazakhstan's transport ministry said Friday.

China is the world's largest producer of lithium-ion batteries and among the top miners of the metal, which is used to power phones and electric vehicles.

"The volume of transportation from China along the TITR (in the direction of China to Europe) has exceeded the equivalent of 27,000 20-foot containers, which is 25 times more than in the same period last year," the ministry said.

The ministry also noted an increase in goods transported between China and Kazakhstan, with both sides discussing the idea of opening new transport routes across their shared border.

Europe has looked to Central Asia as a key trading partner since Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive, triggering a barrage of Western sanctions on Moscow.

Beijing has also invested billions of dollars in building rail and road routes that traverse Central Asia, as it seeks to turn the region into a trading hub for its "New Silk Road".

Construction is underway to build a China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad that will shorten transport times between China and Europe.