Trade between China’s Xinjiang region and Central Asia hit a record high in 2023, totaling 283.67 billion yuan, according to Xinhua. This figure represents 79.4% of Xinjiang’s total foreign trade, highlighting the region’s growing importance as a trade hub.
Xinjiang’s exports to Central Asia jumped 23.2% year-on-year to 246.57 billion yuan.
Labor-intensive and electromechanical products saw significant growth, with exports rising by 38.3% and 72.3%, respectively. Notably, electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and solar panels experienced a combined surge of 330.2%, reaching 2.23 billion yuan.
Improved railway and automobile checkpoints, like the China-Europe (Central Asia) railway through Alashankou and Khorgos, facilitated this trade growth. Over 70,000 freight trains utilized these routes alone.
Continued positive development is expected. Central Asian countries are now authorized to export over 90 types of agricultural and food products to China, facilitated by eight “green channels” in Xinjiang for expedited customs clearance.
The top trading partners of Xinjiang in Central Asia are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan led the way with trade turnover increases of 70.8%, 25.8%, and 93.4%, respectively. ///nCa, 15 February 2024