China's Xinjiang posts robust foreign trade growth in first three quarters

A crane loads containers at a railway port in Horgos, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 11, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Fei)

URUMQI, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region saw a year-on-year rise of 47.3 percent in foreign trade in the first three quarters of this year, the local customs authorities said.

During this period, the region's total import and export volume reached 252.84 billion yuan (about 35.22 billion U.S. dollars), boosted by a slew of favorable policies, according to the customs of Urumqi, the regional capital.

In particular, Xinjiang's trade with Belt and Road Initiative countries rose by 49.7 percent year on year during the period, the customs said.

Meanwhile, the region's trade with five Central Asian countries grew by 53.8 percent.