Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Hei Hongwei and Lu Fengbao) news: April in China's Xinjiang shows the perfect spring scenery. During this wonderful season, you can see passengers traveling from all over the country at railway stations and airports in Xinjiang; cars file past in an endless stream; people enjoy their travel and goods flow smoothly at ports and markets...... A flourishing and prosperous panorama spread out before our eyes.

Xinjiang, a place bustling with visitors

On April 7, 2024, a passenger train entered Urumqi Station with passengers from all over the country.

Xinjiang boasts magnificent natural scenery and diverse culture. Tourism is undoubtedly one of the reasons of the increasing number of visitors. Since March of this year, the number of search term "skiing in Xinjiang" on the Internet has increased by 50 percent month on month. In early March, compared to late February, the number of search term "Xinjiang" on the Internet increased by about 60 percent month on month. The number of orders booked on Ctrip (one of the China's largest online travel agency) from mid to late March to Xinjiang increased by about 15 percent year-on-year, while the number of flight and hotel bookings increased by about 18 percent year-on-year.

Photo taken on April 6, 2024 shows passengers prepare to get in the D-series High-Speed train at Hami station in Hami City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (File photo)

Currently, strategically positioning the tourism as a pillar industry is one of the main development directions in Xinjiang, with comprehensive development of "all-for-one" tourism, border tourism, cross-border tourism, rural tourism, and characteristic tourism. Xinjiang is promoting the brand of "Xinjiang is a nice place", to boost the upgrading of Xinjiang from a region that has rich tourism resource to a region that enjoys solid tourism economy.

Since the beginning of this year, the flow of vehicles, people, and logistics in Xinjiang has accelerated, attracting visitors from all directions with more vitality.

Now, everyone is talking about going to Xinjiang. They take trains and airplanes and become a part in the development of Xinjiang. According to the data from China Railway Urumqi Bureau Group Co., Ltd., the passenger volume exceeded 11.37 million in the first quarter of 2024, an increase of over 30 percent year-on-year. According to Xinjiang Airport Group, the airport passenger throughput exceeded 10 million, an increase of nearly 30 percent year-on-year.

With the upgrading of modern comprehensive three-dimensional transportation network, in the future, visitors are going to see circling traffic routes in Xinjiang, short time for traveling between Xinjiang and other cities, convenient transportation throughout northern and southern Xinjiang, and joint inspection for outbound and inbound activities.

Though the direction and perspective are different, the flow of transportation, logistics, investment, cultural and tourism, foreign trade, employment, and consumption brings vitality to Xinjiang.

The topic "free deliveries" to Xinjiang has also taken a leading page in various platforms. This year, people in Xinjiang can enjoy the free delivery service for a wide range of products. Over ten million items from e-commerce platforms are now available with free deliveries through partnerships with express delivery companies. Now, goods can be delivered for free to more than half of the administrative villages in Xinjiang, and the daily delivery volume in Xinjiang has increased by nearly one million pieces. As logistics and delivery networks and service become increasingly improved, consumer demand shows a positive ascending trend.

According to Gao Yuping, general manager of the Operations Management Department of the Xinjiang branch of China Post, Xinjiang branch of China Post plans to improve rural logistics infrastructure and capacity from 2024 to 2025 with a three-level logistics system in counties, townships, and villages in Xinjiang. As the capacities of these processing centers continue to improve, Xinjiang branch of China Post will better handle the delivery of import and export mail, and increase the time limit throughout the entire network.

Xinjiang, a place driving hard for development

On April 12, 2024, delegates of Xinjiang made active speeches at a government-enterprise consultation held on the banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai. This was also the first time a delegation from the Xinjiang government had gone out on a large scale to attract investment this year.

At the consultation, leaders of enterprises had promising discussions with some departments and leaders in charge of prefectures and cities in Xinjiang.

Photo taken on April 12, 2024 shows a government-enterprise consultation held on the banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai. (Photo by Shiliuyun - Xinjiang Daily/ Hei Hongwei)

"Xinjiang fruits are famous worldwide. With our techniques of cold storage, more Xinjiang fresh fruits can be exported to the world," said Zhu Yanming, chairman of Chic Food Science and Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. He introduced the company's techniques of cold storage and hoped to build a factory in Xinjiang.

His introduction caught the attention of delegates of relevant departments in Aksu Prefecture and Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture.

Zhu Hexiang, a first-level inspector and member of leading Party members group of the Commerce Department of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, said that through the consultation, more enterprises can learn about Xinjiang's resource advantages and industrial development, driving more enterprises to invest and develop in Xinjiang.

Xinjiang will go all out for success in the early stages of the cause. Since the beginning of this year, various regions in Xinjiang have put their emphasis on characteristic and advantageous industries, such as the "eight major industrial clusters". In the meantime, Xinjiang offers a broad stage for enterprises to demonstrate their capabilities and develop themselves. Great efforts have been made to invite enterprises to deepen strategic cooperation with Xinjiang.

At the beginning of this year, the Conference on central enterprises promoting employment through industrial assistance to Xinjiang (the Conference) was held in Beijing, which sent a positive signal that central enterprises will continue to increase investment and support in multiple fields in Xinjiang. From 2024 to 2026, central enterprises plan to invest in 133 projects in Xinjiang, involving a total amount of nearly 700 billion yuan (about 96.62 billion U.S. dollars).

"For its unique regional and resource advantages, we chose to settle in Keping County in Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region," said Gao Lichao, general manager of Beijing Jitong Environmental Protection New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.

"We need to do more to keep enterprises in Xinjiang," said Buwajian Abula, director of the Economic and Social Development Research Center of Xinjiang Agricultural University. She believes that the relationship between the government and the market is the key. Measures such as building a service-oriented government and optimizing the business environment should be taken to better attract enterprises and investment.

In recent years, Xinjiang has introduced a series of policies and measures to stabilize growth and promote investment, implemented three-year actions to optimize and improve the business environment. Xinjiang has continued to promote the relationship between a promising government and an effective market and made solid progress in building a market-oriented, legal and international business environment.

On March 23, at the Xinjiang 2024 Spring Recruitment Campaign for College Graduates, a total of 18,000 job posts were offered by 604 employers.

"Resilience of economics promotes employment. The vitality of the job market reflects the confidence of business entities and job seekers in market expectations," said Buwajian Abula.

At the Conference, it was pointed out that, from 2024 to 2026, Xinjiang is expected to recruit 32,000 new employees.

Xinjiang regards talent and technology as the primary resources and driving forces. It established a talent development fund of 10 billion yuan (about 1.38 billion U.S. dollars) and a technology innovation fund of 2 billion yuan (about 275.98 million U.S. dollars), continuously consolidating the foundation of innovative development.

Hou Xin, the person in charge of the Employment Service Department for College Graduates at the Public Employment Service Center of the Autonomous Region, introduced that this year, on-campus job fairs will be held at Kashi University, Ili Normal University, and Xinjiang Agricultural University respectively to help college graduates achieve high-quality and full employment as soon as possible.

Job resources are the lifeline of employment. The development of related industries directly affects employment.

Xinjiang now continuously accelerates the construction of the "eight major industrial clusters" and many major projects. Since the beginning of 2024, major projects, such as transportation, water conservancy, and energy, resumed their construction in places of Xinjiang. More and more central enterprises and SOEs are choosing to settle in Xinjiang.

"There are many projects carrying on in Xinjiang, with the need of labors. So, after the Chinese New Year, I came to work in Xinjiang and now I earn a living by earth and stone work," said Liu Qinglin, a businessman from China's Henan Province.

Xinjiang, a place seeking opening up and cooperation

The Chinese have an old proverb: "Make your whole year's plan in the spring," Currently, at the Urumqi China-Europe Railway Express Hub in the Urumqi International Land Port Area, the Tianshan China-Europe (Central Asia) freight trains loaded with goods from all over the country whistled continuously to drive to Central Asia, Russia and other countries.

According to data, from its initial launch in November 2023 to February 10, 2024, the cumulative volume of the Tianshan China-Europe Railway Express has reached 100 trips, with 4,716 sets and a cargo volume of over 70,000 tons. The trade volume brought by these trains has exceeded 2.8 billion yuan (about 386.20 million U.S. dollars).

As Xinjiang's own brand, the first Tianshan China-Europe (Central Asia) freight train is designed by Xinjiang Commercial and Logistics Group and is an innovative practice after setting up the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

At present, the shipping schedule of the Tianshan China-Europe (Central Asia) freight train has gradually increased from the initial two trains per week to more than eight trains per week, basically achieving the normalization of daily trips.(Photo by Chen Yan)

Shen Jinsheng, chairman of the Xinjiang Commercial and Logistics Group, introduced that this year, the company will focus on serving the construction of the "eight major industrial clusters" of Xinjiang, promote an efficient logistics network, optimize and upgrade a multimodal transportation brand service system, to ensure the high-quality operation of the China Europe (Central Asia) freight trains in Xinjiang.

As the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt, Xinjiang has unique geographical advantages and is a "golden channel" between Asia and Europe, and a gateway of China's westward opening up. Xinjiang plays a role of strategic pivot, channelling the East and the West.

In the first quarter, the freight volume of Xinjiang railway was 58.645 million tons, up 5.9 percent year-on-year. China-Europe freight train trips handled by the Horgos Port and the Alataw Pass, two major railway ports in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, have increased significantly.

On November 1, 2023, an unveiling ceremony for the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone was held. Since the operation of this FTZ, it has been in line with international high standard rules and regulations, focusing on building a modern industrial system with Xinjiang characteristics supported by the "eight major industrial clusters", conducting differentiated exploration, and fully promoting reform. Currently, more than 5,000 new economic entities were settled in the FTZ, which is the first choice for setting up economic entities.

Xinjiang has established economic and trade relations with more than 170 countries and regions, and has 23 national industrial parks including cross-border economic cooperation zones, economic and technological development zones, high-tech development zones, comprehensive bonded zones, and border economic cooperation zones. There are 18 ports and 25 airports with 286 international and domestic routes, which are open to 16 countries and over 100 international and domestic cities. In 2023, international regular passenger flights were resumed from Urumqi to 16 cities in 13 countries, achieving full coverage in the five Central Asian countries.

Photo taken on April 1, 2024 shows a negotiation between enterprises at the 13th Uzbekistan-China Xinjiang Commodities Expo. (Photo by Shiliuyun - Xinjiang Daily/ Hei Hongwei)

The continuous improvement of connectivity facilities has tied the economic and trade relations between China's Xinjiang and its neighboring countries even more closer. This provides more effective support for various enterprises to utilize both domestic and foreign markets and resources to carry out investment and trade activities. And Xinjiang, in this way, can play better the vital role as a “golden channel” between Asia and Europe and a gateway for China's westward opening up.

"As the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt, China's Xinjiang plays an important role in the economic and trade cooperation between Uzbekistan and China. The ties between Uzbekistan and China's Xinjiang have been lifted to a new height. I hope that both sides will further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields around the joint construction of the Belt and Road," said Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov, Prime Minister of Uzbekistan.

Li Xuan, secretary of the leading Party members group and deputy director of the Department of Commerce of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, introduced that Xinjiang places great emphasis on one port, two zones, five major centers, as well as port economic belts to promote a high level of opening-up to the outside world. Xinjiang is building a number of highways, railways, airports, and logistics distribution bases to support the construction of the core area, strengthening practical cooperation with neighboring countries, especially the five central Asian countries, and building an open spatial economic pattern with prominent centers, east-west connectivity, north-south radiation, clear levels, and staggered development.

Xinjiang now is full of vitality, with a promising future.

(A written permission shall be obtained for reprinting, excerpting, copying and mirroring of the contents published on this website. Unauthorized aforementioned act shall be deemed an infringement, of which the actor shall be held accountable under the law.)