China's Xinjiang is more dynamic, attractive amid increasing openness

<article><section data-type="rtext"><img data-alt="View of the Alashankou Port, a crucial hub connecting China with Central Asia and Europe in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 24, 2025. /VCG" src="//img.huanqiucdn.cn/dp/api/files/imageDir/4f2483565c04a7ee59fbb33325eb4b54.png?imageView2/2/w/750" />Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is seeing increasing vitality across the board as the region accelerates efforts to build core areas of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through broader opening up.The 2025 (China) Eurasia Commodity and Trade Expo recently concluded in Urumqi, the regional capital. The five-day fair, attended by 1,800 exhibitors from 50 countries and regions, including first-time exhibitors from four countries in Africa: Ethiopia, Zambia, Comoros and Senegal, was one of the latest examples of Xinjiang's increasingly open and dynamic developmentA vast region that borders Central Asian countries, the Xinjiang has enhanced its connectivity with the world significantly in recent years, boosting mutually beneficial cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, driven by the BRI.In addition to the dozens of freight trains that enter and exit Xinjiang on average each day, the region's air transport is expanding rapidly. In the first half of this year, seven new international charter cargo flight routes have opened between Urumqi and foreign cities such as Istanbul, Belgrade and Addis Ababa, raising the region's total number of international air freight routes to 26, according to Xinjiang Airport Group. In the first five months of this year, the number of air routes the company operates increased by 115, or 26.5 percent year on year.Xinjiang is accelerating its development of 10 industrial clusters in fields like oil-and-gas production and processing, advanced manufacturing, new materials, cotton and textiles, culture and tourism, and modern logistics. These industries play a vital role in sustaining the region's high-quality growth and creating jobs.Its broader opening up can also be seen through the rapid increase in the number of enterprises in the Xinjiang Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ), which was inaugurated in November 2023. Pilot FTZs are a landmark feature of China's high-standard opening up.As of May this year, more than 15,000 enterprises have been established in the pilot FTZ, and there are now 1.5 times more foreign-invested enterprises than that when the FTZ opened for business, according to statistics from the regional department of commerce. The Xinjiang pilot FTZ is now home to more than 40,000 enterprises.Despite global uncertainties and false accusations launched against the region, Xinjiang's foreign trade has maintained rapid growth in recent years. The region saw its foreign trade volume hit 321.02 billion yuan ($44.3 billion) in the first seven months of 2025, marking a robust year-on-year increase of 27.3 percent, according to data from local customs authorities.In July alone, the region's import and export value totaled 40.39 billion yuan, up 23.5 percent compared to the same period last year, the local customs authorities said.In the first seven months, imports through border residents' mutual markets also expanded substantially, rising by 78.4 percent year-on-year, it said. Meanwhile, Xinjiang's trade network continued to diversify, with the region engaging in economic exchanges with 223 countries and regions, an increase of 8.3 percent compared to the previous year. Trade with the five Central Asian nations remained dominant, representing 52.2 percent of the region's total foreign trade.Xinjiang's attractiveness has also been strengthened through a number of international events held in the region in such fields as sports and the arts. Event participants, business people and tourists traveling to Xinjiang find themselves deeply impressed by the beauty of its landscape, the diversity of its culture, the hospitality of local people and its remarkable development.This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The region will surely become more confident, vibrant and prosperous as it keeps pace with the whole nation in pushing modernization forward while delivering more opportunities for win-win cooperation with the world.(With input from agencies)</section></article>

Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is seeing increasing vitality across the board as the region accelerates efforts to build core areas of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through broader opening up.

The 2025 (China) Eurasia Commodity and Trade Expo recently concluded in Urumqi, the regional capital. The five-day fair, attended by 1,800 exhibitors from 50 countries and regions, including first-time exhibitors from four countries in Africa: Ethiopia, Zambia, Comoros and Senegal, was one of the latest examples of Xinjiang's increasingly open and dynamic development

A vast region that borders Central Asian countries, the Xinjiang has enhanced its connectivity with the world significantly in recent years, boosting mutually beneficial cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, driven by the BRI.

In addition to the dozens of freight trains that enter and exit Xinjiang on average each day, the region's air transport is expanding rapidly. In the first half of this year, seven new international charter cargo flight routes have opened between Urumqi and foreign cities such as Istanbul, Belgrade and Addis Ababa, raising the region's total number of international air freight routes to 26, according to Xinjiang Airport Group. In the first five months of this year, the number of air routes the company operates increased by 115, or 26.5 percent year on year.

Xinjiang is accelerating its development of 10 industrial clusters in fields like oil-and-gas production and processing, advanced manufacturing, new materials, cotton and textiles, culture and tourism, and modern logistics. These industries play a vital role in sustaining the region's high-quality growth and creating jobs.

Its broader opening up can also be seen through the rapid increase in the number of enterprises in the Xinjiang Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ), which was inaugurated in November 2023. Pilot FTZs are a landmark feature of China's high-standard opening up.

As of May this year, more than 15,000 enterprises have been established in the pilot FTZ, and there are now 1.5 times more foreign-invested enterprises than that when the FTZ opened for business, according to statistics from the regional department of commerce. The Xinjiang pilot FTZ is now home to more than 40,000 enterprises.

Despite global uncertainties and false accusations launched against the region, Xinjiang's foreign trade has maintained rapid growth in recent years. The region saw its foreign trade volume hit 321.02 billion yuan ($44.3 billion) in the first seven months of 2025, marking a robust year-on-year increase of 27.3 percent, according to data from local customs authorities.

In July alone, the region's import and export value totaled 40.39 billion yuan, up 23.5 percent compared to the same period last year, the local customs authorities said.

In the first seven months, imports through border residents' mutual markets also expanded substantially, rising by 78.4 percent year-on-year, it said. Meanwhile, Xinjiang's trade network continued to diversify, with the region engaging in economic exchanges with 223 countries and regions, an increase of 8.3 percent compared to the previous year. Trade with the five Central Asian nations remained dominant, representing 52.2 percent of the region's total foreign trade.

Xinjiang's attractiveness has also been strengthened through a number of international events held in the region in such fields as sports and the arts. Event participants, business people and tourists traveling to Xinjiang find themselves deeply impressed by the beauty of its landscape, the diversity of its culture, the hospitality of local people and its remarkable development.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The region will surely become more confident, vibrant and prosperous as it keeps pace with the whole nation in pushing modernization forward while delivering more opportunities for win-win cooperation with the world.

(With input from agencies)

In July alone, the region's import and export value totaled 40.39 billion yuan, up 23.5 percent compared to the same period last year, the local customs authorities said.

(With input from agencies)