9th China-Eurasia Expo concludes with upgraded openness and fruitful results-TIANSHANNET-天山网

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Hei Hongwei) news: In the height of summer, the Silk Road was alive with business opportunities. The 9th China-Eurasia Expo concluded on June 29 in Urumqi.

Held under the theme "New Opportunities of Silk Road, New Vitality for Eurasian Cooperation," the expo featured high-standard organization, large-scale exhibitions and a range of innovative activities. It delivered practical results in deepening openness and cooperation, and achieved fruitful outcomes in promoting economic and trade exchanges.

The event demonstrated the vibrant momentum of Silk Road cooperation, presented China's cooperative approach under the Belt and Road Initiative, and offered a vivid picture of Xinjiang's new development landscape under the Party's governance strategy for the region in the new era.

This year's expo raised the level of openness, strengthened technological empowerment, embraced green development and deepened economic and trade cooperation. It injected lasting momentum into China's westward opening and mutually beneficial cooperation between Asia and Europe.

Visitors, including local residents and domestic and foreign business representatives, tour the investment cooperation exhibition area during the 9th China-Eurasia Expo in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on June 28, 2026. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/Hei Hongwei)

Expo reaches new heights in building a new pattern of westward opening-up

Leveraging its unique geographical advantages, China's Xinjiang has deepened cooperation with Eurasian partners through the expo. It achieved breakthroughs in participation, scale and the scope of collaboration. The event further raised its level of internationalization, professionalization and marketization. It has become an important window for China's westward opening and a key platform for practical cooperation with Eurasia.

Li Hongqi, Party secretary and deputy director of the regional commerce department, said the expo fully demonstrated its radiating and driving effects. He noted that the event played an irreplaceable bridging role in regional connectivity, trade matchmaking and business model innovation, achieving a leap in openness across multiple dimensions.

Leading central state-owned enterprises continued to deepen their presence in Xinjiang and expand all-round strategic cooperation.

China Resources Group brought nine business units across four sectors: integrated energy, consumer goods, health, and urban construction and operation. At its 400 square meter pavilion, the group showcased its investment achievements in Xinjiang through physical displays, digital models and interactive experiences.

In the energy sector, the group is building a 6.1 GW renewable energy base in Xinjiang's desert areas. The project transforms wind and solar resources into green electricity, helping to ensure energy supply between the west and east. In the gas sector, it uses smart pipeline and control technologies to strengthen urban safety.

The group is also active in health, consumer services and urban renewal. It supports rural revitalization through education assistance, employment and sales of agricultural products. These efforts have created a virtuous cycle between industrial development and improved livelihoods.

The expo featured strong participation from across China, with a notable concentration of resources.

Shaanxi and Hubei served as the guest provinces of honor. All 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, along with Hong Kong, Macao, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and all 14 prefectures and cities of Xinjiang took part in the event. Twenty-four provinces, regions and municipalities, as well as China's Hong Kong and Macao, set up dedicated investment and cooperation pavilions.

The expo brought together more than 3,100 domestic and foreign institutions and companies, a record high. Among them, over 300 were central state-owned enterprises, Fortune Global 500 companies, and specialized and sophisticated firms. The event attracted 23,700 professional buyers from across China. The quality of participating businesses improved significantly, and supply-demand matching became much more precise.

Xu Yeping, Party secretary and deputy director of the Xinjiang International Expo Bureau, said the expo introduced an innovative "one venue, multiple zones" layout. It featured six specialized zones covering investment cooperation, Silk Road cooperation, new quality productive forces, specialty industries, green development, and cultural and tourism integration.

New sections on the grain industry and cultural tourism integration were added for the first time. The layout brought traditional and emerging industries together on the same stage, and connected domestic and international markets. A diverse group of quality exhibitors gathered to explore new opportunities for Eurasian cooperation.

Tech and green development drive industrial upgrading

The expo focused on two key priorities: fostering new quality productive forces and promoting green, low-carbon development. It used scenario-based displays, real-world demonstrations and full-chain practices to bring cutting-edge technologies into the real economy. Green concepts were embedded throughout the event, highlighting the innovative and ecological foundations of Eurasian cooperation.

Many tech companies used the expo to explore new markets. Shenzhen Hpures Environmental Protection Equipment Co., Ltd was a typical example. Its head, Li Zhibin, said Xinjiang, as the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt, offers quick access to Central Asian markets, which fits the company's cross-border expansion strategy.

The company brought a 10-person team to the expo, showcasing a range of home and commercial water purifiers and water-saving shower heads tailored to local and Central Asian needs. The results far exceeded expectations. All products were sold out on site, and orders for 2,000 water-saving shower heads and various purifiers were fully booked.

Li said that through the expo, the company successfully connected with Central Asian cross-border trading firms and secured export cooperation intentions with countries including Pakistan. This opened up export channels to Central Asia while also completing local market certification in Xinjiang.

The empowering effect of technological innovation goes beyond helping individual companies break through. It also drives industrial upgrading across the region.

Business delegates from the United Arab Emirates hold talks with a Xinjiang company representative during the 9th China-Eurasia Expo in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on June 27, 2026. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/Hei Hongwei)

The expo set up a special zone for new quality productive forces for the first time. It focused on emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, the low-altitude economy and biomedicine. Technologies on display included smart inspection, multilingual cross-border interaction and smart logistics. The zone marked a key shift from conceptual displays to real-world applications.

Companies from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai and Guangdong brought solutions for smart manufacturing, smart cities and smart agriculture. Large low-altitude aircraft, intelligent bionic robots and computing infrastructure were also featured. These technologies are suited for a wide range of scenarios, including plateau transport, energy inspection, emergency response and urban management.

Interactive experiences such as quadruped robot dogs for power inspection, robots performing Xinjiang-style dances and AI glasses with real-time multilingual translation drew wide praise from Chinese and foreign visitors. These hands-on demonstrations made cutting-edge technologies tangible and accessible.

Green development was a clear theme throughout the expo.

Special zones were set up for green development and green services. They brought together companies in new energy, new materials, green building materials, energy conservation and environmental protection, and resource recycling. Advanced environmental equipment, ecological restoration technologies and industry standards were on display.

The organizing committee also issued green exhibition and green travel guides. It set up special awards for green booths, encouraged exhibitors to use recyclable and renewable materials for their displays, and promoted green travel among the public.

Xu said the expo achieved 100 percent green electricity supply and full carbon neutrality throughout the event. Through these concrete actions, the expo put green development into practice and built a quality platform for green industry collaboration and shared ecological efforts across Eurasia.

Trade and mutual benefit bring new opportunities for cooperation

The expo served as a bridge for trade and a gathering point for cooperation. It attracted 49 countries, regions and international organizations. Twenty-seven countries and regions set up their own pavilions. More than 2,000 overseas business visitors attended. The event created a strong atmosphere for cross-border exchange and multilateral cooperation, fully demonstrating the vitality of Silk Road connectivity and mutual benefit.

The United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Thailand set up national pavilions for the first time. They became new faces at this year's expo and quickly turned into popular spots for visitors.

Many countries are deepening their engagement with Xinjiang, with bilateral and multilateral economic and trade cooperation continuing to heat up.

Nebiyu Mohamed Bogale, minister at the Ethiopian Embassy in China, spoke highly of the expo's role as a platform. He noted that the launch of cargo flights between Urumqi and Ethiopia has facilitated logistics between the two sides. During the expo, Ethiopia promoted its specialty agricultural products and cultural tourism resources, using the platform to deepen cooperation with China in trade and tourism, and to strengthen the foundation of bilateral ties.

The expo also delivered tangible benefits to the public.

A ticket-based coupon system was introduced, offering discounts at supermarkets, restaurants, hotels and gas stations. More than 60 specialty shops offered exclusive deals. Ten Silk Road tour routes were launched, and free entry was offered at select scenic spots and museums. Fifty-three themed consumption events were held, giving a significant boost to Urumqi's trade, culture and tourism sectors. Over five days, the expo recorded 329,300 visits, including 9,812 overseas visitors.

The event also upgraded its promotional approach by partnering with influencers and cultural and creative brands. Services such as smart navigation, currency exchange, tax refunds and intellectual property support were improved. These refined and digital services helped strengthen the expo's brand reputation.

The expo has ended, but progress continues.

Xinjiang is now in a golden period for high-quality development. Policy, geographical and opening-up advantages are being fully realized. The 9th China-Eurasia Expo has brought together the forces of openness, practical cooperation and innovation. It has delivered strong results in trade, technological innovation and public benefits, while building a lasting platform for long-term Eurasian connectivity and in-depth collaboration.

Xinjiang will take this expo as a new starting point to expand cooperation, raise its level of openness, and deepen practical cooperation with Eurasia. It will continue to build itself as a gateway for China's westward opening and a golden corridor between Asia and Europe, writing a new chapter of Eurasian cooperation based on mutual benefit and shared success.

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