According to a white paper by the State Council Information Office, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has aligned its opening-up strategy with China’s broader plan for western development. The goal is to create a golden channel across the Eurasian continent, positioning Xinjiang as a key gateway to the west.
The white paper, titled "CPC Guidelines for Governing Xinjiang in the New Era: Practice and Achievements," outlines how the region plans to build this strategic gateway. So far, Xinjiang has developed 19 ports, including the year-round Kunjirap Port, boosting its capacity for global trade.
Logistics numbers speak volumes: in 2024, a record 16,400 freight trains passed through Xinjiang on the China–Europe Railway Express—the fifth consecutive year with over 10,000 trips. This surge highlights Xinjiang’s growing role in international supply chains.
Trade partnerships have also flourished. From just a handful in the 1950s, Xinjiang now trades with 211 countries and regions as of 2024, up from 196 in 2012. This expansion reflects the region’s rising importance on the world stage.
In October 2023, the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone was approved and established, attracting over 9,000 enterprises within a year. Today, this zone accounts for more than 30 percent of Xinjiang’s total import and export value, setting the stage for further economic growth.
As Xinjiang forges ahead, its role as a westward gateway promises to reshape Eurasian trade routes, support emerging markets, and offer new opportunities for global entrepreneurs, technologists, and travelers alike.
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Xinjiang aims to build gateway for opening up to the west: white paper
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