Xinjiang land port aims to boost trade amid opening-up: newspaper

BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Due to its fast growth in trade volume in 2022, the Urumqi International Land Port Area will launch more China-Europe railway express trains and expand trade routes particularly to Central Asian and European countries, read a report by the China Daily on Tuesday.

At present, 21 China-Europe railway express services operate via the land port in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, allowing more than 200 types of goods from China to reach 19 countries and 26 cities, according to the newspaper.

In 2022, more than 19,000 freight trucks passed through the land port, double that of 2021, along with more than 1,165 China-Europe railway express trains, an increase of 16.5 percent year-on-year, it added.

"We will bolster cooperation with customs and railway operators so more convenient services can be provided to better facilitate foreign trade," said the newspaper citing Zhong Hehua, deputy director of development service center of the land port area.

This year, the land port area will also put to use an international grain and oil trading center and plans to offer cold chain logistics services from 2024, said the newspaper.

"The area will further enrich the Belt and Road Initiative and fuel the region's opening-up," said Zhao Xiaohai, vice president of Xinjiang International Land Port Group, cited by the China Daily.

The land port area houses the Urumqi China-Europe Railway Express Hub and a comprehensive bonded zone. It now stands as a landmark project in the construction of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt.