Xinjiang foreign trade up nearly 60 pct in first 11 months

URUMQI, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Foreign trade volume of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region soared 59.8 percent year on year to 219.4 billion yuan (about 31.6 billion U.S. dollars) from January to November this year, according to data from Urumqi Customs.

The region's trade with countries along the Belt and Road increased by 65.9 percent year on year to over 198.6 billion yuan during this period, while its trade volume with members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership also saw an 8.8 percent growth.

From January to November, the import and export volume of Xinjiang's four comprehensive bonded areas, namely, Urumqi, Horgos, Alashankou, and Kashgar, surged by 494.9 percent year on year to 71.48 billion yuan, said the customs.

Textiles, garments, and mechanical and electrical products were Xinjiang's major export items. The export of lithium-ion batteries and solar cells increased significantly, the customs added.

Pragmatic approaches will be taken to improve trade facilitation, reduce costs for importers and exporters, foster new forms of trade, and diversify markets, said the customs.