The Road To "newness"丨Xinjiang Opens Its Arms To The World

Under the guidance of the Party’s Xinjiang governance strategy in the new era, Xinjiang has embarked on a new journey of Chinese-style modernization, with a stronger foundation of stability, stronger development momentum, and more prosperous people’s lives. 2025 is the year of the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan. In order to present the "new" quality and effect achieved in building a beautiful Xinjiang on the new era and new journey, People's Daily launched the annual planning report of "Revitalizing the Road" to showcase the new look and atmosphere of Xinjiang's openness and confidence.

On September 15, China Southern Airlines carried 167 Russian passengers to Urumqi from Moscow, with a flight time of only 4.5 hours. This is the first batch of Russian tourists entering Xinjiang after the official entry into the visa-free policy of China and Russia.

On September 15, 167 Russian travelers arrived in Urumqi from Moscow. Photo provided by Xinjiang Airport Group

From the connectivity of facilities, the interconnection of rules to the mutual understanding of the people, Xinjiang is writing a new chapter of win-win results with the world with a more open attitude.

As Chen Weijun, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Executive Vice Chairman of the Autonomous Region, said at the press conference of the white paper "Successful Practice of the Party's Xinjiang Governance Strategy in the New Era" on September 19: "China's Xinjiang welcomes global partners with open arms."

The value of Xinjiang is being seen by the world

As the morning sun rises, the Kashgar Comprehensive Bonded Zone is already busy. The staff of the Global Trade Communications Group (Central Asia Operation Center) are sorting, packing and labeling in an orderly manner... boxes of electronic products and daily neatly arranged and waited for export.

Kashgar Comprehensive Bonded Zone. Photo by Li Xinyang, People's Daily

"Since landing in the Kashgar area of the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone in August last year, the trade volume has exceeded 6.87 billion yuan, and commodities such as building materials, power equipment, and electrical appliances are very popular in Central Asia." Zhao Zhijiang, head of Global Trade Communications Group (Central Asia Operation Center), said.

"Go to Kashgar, and connect to Eurasia" has become a common sense. In August this year, Zhao Zhijiang, who signed an export order of 300 million yuan with the Kyrgyz government, was preparing to show his strength in Kashgar.

Urumqi International Land Port Area is a landmark project for the construction of the core area of the "Belt and Road" and is accelerating to become a key hub in the Asia-Europe gold channel, attracting many companies to settle down. Foreign company Elbrus Transport (Xinjiang) Co., Ltd. is one of the representatives.

Urumqi International Land Port Area. Photo by Li Xinyang, People's Daily

"Investing in Xinjiang is investing in the future." The company interprets the value of this sentence with its actions - back to 2000, the company entered the Chinese market and moved its Chinese headquarters from Shanghai to Urumqi in 2009. What it values is the advantage of opening up to the west.

"As the market demand grows, we have restarted our domestic heavy asset investment again after 15 years," said Dilishati Maimati, deputy general manager of the company. "This is the area where China's land transportation westward can reduce the last 15% of logistics transportation costs, and we are very optimistic about the development prospects of Xinjiang."

According to statistics, in the first seven months of this year, Xinjiang had 3,396 foreign trade enterprises with import and export performance, an increase of 25.4% year-on-year.

With the expansion of foreign trade entities, Xinjiang's foreign trade "circle of friends" is getting bigger and bigger. From the initial development of border trade with only a few neighboring countries to now having trade with 223 countries and regions around the world, Xinjiang's value is being seen by the world.

More and more people share open opportunities

At the Horgos Highway Port, brand new domestic cars lined up like dragons, and the "ferryman" Jin Hu was waiting to leave the customs.

After the visa-free policy of China and Kazakhstan was implemented, with the joint efforts of customs, border inspection and other departments of China and Kazakhstan, the "self-driving export" exit customs clearance method has become more convenient and flexible, and a large number of "ferrymen" have begun to appear.

The "ferryman" drove a commodity car in line toward Kazakhstan. Photo by Li Xinyang, People's Daily

Compared with traditional cage truck transportation, the "ferryman" delivery is more flexible, more efficient and less costly, making commercial vehicles more competitive in terms of prices and other aspects, and is highly favored by foreign automobile importers.

Jinhu, who lives in Qingshuihe Town, Huocheng County, looked at the "ferrymen" around him, built a new house and bought a new car, and couldn't help but join the "ferry army".

"Now every month, we are a couple who drive their vehicles back and forth, with income of nearly 20,000 yuan, and we can build a new house by the end of the year," said Jin Hu.

According to statistics, in 2024, this transportation form saved enterprises 150 million yuan in costs, and the total income of the "ferryman" was more than 90 million yuan. The rise of "ferrymen" has brought a large number of employment opportunities to the local and provinces and cities outside Xinjiang.

Vehicles lined up to depart at the Horgos Highway Port. Photo by Li Xinyang, People's Daily

The endless flow of vehicles is just a microcosm of the economic prosperity of Xinjiang ports. The spring breeze of policies not only stirs up the market wave, but also quietly immerses in the lives of ordinary people.

——In Yiwu International Trade City, located at the China-Kazakhs-Horgos International Border Cooperation Center, cross-border live broadcasts of foreign anchors are gradually becoming popular, and "Made in China" enters the lives of more foreign families;

——In Yalkent City, Kazakhstan, more and more people are engaged in cross-border trade between China and Kazakhstan, and cross-border work has become a trend;

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Now in Xinjiang, a group of "new employers" such as "ferrymen" and "transnational office workers" are emerging, and more and more people share the opportunities brought by high-level opening up.

The doors are wider and wider

At the end of June, more than 2,800 enterprises from 50 countries and regions gathered at the 2025 (China) Asia-Europe Commodity Trade Expo and signed 365 economic and trade cooperation projects with a total amount of 417.924 billion yuan, bringing new opportunities to the prosperity and development of more countries and regions;

In mid-July, Xinjiang organized 6 outstanding wine companies and introduced 21 wine products to the 2025 Osaka World Expo in Japan to broaden the channels of cooperation and exchanges and promote Xinjiang wine to better go global;

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"Open the door, the bigger it opens", Xinjiang is ready:

A freight train is driving among the mountains. Photo provided by China Railway Urumqi Bureau Group Co., Ltd.

——Infrastructure interconnection. There are currently 19 ports approved by the State Council and opened to the outside world, and 119 bilateral international road transportation lines are opened, accounting for more than one-third of the country's total, and more than half of the country's China-Europe (Central Asia) trains are used in China;

——The policy docking rules are interoperable. Create a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment, and continue to strengthen pragmatic cooperation with neighboring countries in the fields of economy, trade, energy, science and technology, agriculture, etc., and 129 reform pilot tasks in the Xinjiang Free Trade Pilot Zone have been fully launched to create an open highland with institutional innovation;

——Cultural exchanges and people’s hearts are connected. Further increase the pace of "invite in and go out", Xinjiang's "Two Sessions" invited foreign guests to attend for two consecutive years, held the 6th World Media Summit, the 2025 SCO National Media Cooperation Forum and other meetings, signed academic and cultural exchanges and cooperation agreements with 25 countries, and launched a number of cross-border boutique tourism routes.

On May 23, the 2025 SCO National Youth Cultural Exchange Camp was launched in Urumqi. Photo by Li Xinyang, People's Daily

Data is the most powerful proof. From 2022 to 2024, Xinjiang's total foreign trade import and export value has continuously exceeded 200 billion yuan, 300 billion yuan and 400 billion yuan marks, crossing three trillion yuan steps in three years, showing strong resilience and potential.

Looking back on the 70 years of glorious years, Xinjiang has moved from closure to openness, from the border to the forefront, and every step confirms that opening up is the only way for prosperity and development. In the new era and new journey, Xinjiang opens its arms and embraces the world with a more confident attitude.