Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Chen Qiangwei) news: On June 17, 2025, Urumqi Customs reported that Xinjiang's foreign trade reached 227.67 billion yuan (about 31.7 billion U.S. dollars) in the first five months of the year, marking a 22.9 percent year-on-year increase. This growth rate outpaced the national average by 20.4 percentage points, with the total volume already surpassing last year's first-half performance.

Photo taken on May 27, 2025 shows customs officers at Horgos Port check the information of exported oversized equipment in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Zhao Qilong)

Southern Xinjiang showed particularly strong trade growth in May. During the five-month period, Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, Kashi Prefecture, Urumqi City, and Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture led regional foreign trade with growth rates of 15 percent, 5.6 percent, 48.6 percent, and 25.1 percent, respectively.

The China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone and comprehensive bonded zones maintained their important role, with Kashi Area, Horgos Area, and Urumqi Area contributing 37.9 billion yuan (about 5.31 billion U.S. dollars), 34.64 billion yuan (about 4.85 billion U.S. dollars), and 27.61 billion yuan (about 3.87 billion U.S. dollars) respectively, collectively representing 44 percent of Xinjiang's total foreign trade. The four comprehensive bonded zones together handled 81.57 billion yuan (about 11.42 billion U.S. dollars) in trade, accounting for 35.8 percent of the regional total.

General trade showed remarkable performance, growing 80.8 percent year-on-year to constitute 54.9 percent of all trade, up 17.6 percentage points from the previous year and driving 30.2 percentage points of Xinjiang's overall trade growth. Private enterprises remained the backbone of foreign trade, posting 25 percent growth to account for 94.7 percent of total trade volume while contributing 101.5 percent to the region's trade expansion. Mechanical and electrical products stood out among exports, growing 43.8 percent to represent 40.2 percent of all exported goods.

Private enterprises remained the backbone of Xinjiang's foreign trade in the first five months, with their import-export value growing 25 percent year-on-year to represent 94.7 percent of the region's total trade volume. Remarkably, they contributed 101.5 percent to Xinjiang's overall trade growth. In the first five months, Xinjiang's exports of electromechanical products grew 43.8 percent year-on-year, accounting for 40.2 percent of total exports.

During the same period, Xinjiang conducted trade with 222 countries and regions. Trade with the Belt and Road Initiative partner countries increased 13.8 percent year-on-year, representing 84.8 percent of Xinjiang's total trade volume. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan remained Xinjiang's top two trading partners, while trade with ASEAN and the EU grew 91.6 percent and 55.7 percent respectively.

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