Carry forward the spirit of the Silk Road and deepen cooperation between Asia and Europe
——Voice from 2023 (China) Asia-Europe Commodities Trade Fair
Guangming Daily reporter Li Huishangjie Wang Yizhao
From August 17th to 21st, the 2023 (China) Asia-Europe Commodity Trade Fair was held in Urumqi, Xinjiang. 40 countries and regions including Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, 7 international organizations, and about 1,300 domestic and foreign companies gathered in the Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center to discuss open development and mutually beneficial cooperation.
(China) Asia-Europe Commodity Trade Fair (hereinafter referred to as “Commercial Fair”) is an international, professional, market-oriented and brand-oriented expo held in odd-numbered years, approved by the People’s Government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the Ministry of Commerce. As an important part of the China-Eurasia Expo, it has been successfully held three times since 2015. Together with the China-Eurasia Expo, it has grown into an important channel for cooperation between China and neighboring countries and an important channel for the construction of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt. carrier.
On August 17, participants visited and exchanged ideas at the exhibition area of the 2023 (China) Asia-Europe Commodity Trade Expo.Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Fei
“Xinjiang has stood at the forefront of opening up”
“With the deepening of China’s expansion of opening up, the development of the western region, and the joint construction of the ‘Belt and Road’, Xinjiang has stood at the forefront of opening up to the outside world and built a large channel for opening up to the outside world.” At the opening ceremony of the Expo, the Ministry of Commerce Vice Minister and Deputy International Trade Representative Ling Ji’s speech resonated with the participants.
In recent years, Xinjiang has continued to expand its geographical advantages of “five ports connecting eight countries and one road connecting Europe and Asia”, continuously increasing its opening up to the outside world, expanding the depth and breadth of opening to the west, and promoting the construction of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt. Countries along the “Belt and Road” route, especially the five countries in Central Asia, have closer contacts and more extensive cooperation.
The influence of the China-Eurasia Expo, which has been successfully held for seven sessions, is growing day by day. In the 7th Asia Expo held last year, 448 cooperation projects were signed, and the contracted amount exceeded 1 trillion yuan, setting a record among all previous Asia Expos.
Under the pressure of global trade, in the first half of this year, the total value of Xinjiang’s foreign trade imports and exports was 149.62 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 65.2%. , Not only has become a highlight of the country’s import and export trade, but also injected strong momentum into Xinjiang to build an open economy.
Well-known economist Fan Gang said in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Expo that Xinjiang, as the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt, is an important part of the Eurasian continent and an important border open area of my country. Doing a good job in the big article of the Eurasian continent is not only beneficial to Xinjiang’s own development, but also conducive to promoting my country’s continuous expansion and opening up.
“In today’s Xinjiang, harmony and stability have become the avenue, and prosperity and development have opened a new chapter. We are willing to work with friends from all walks of life at home and abroad to carry forward the spirit of the Silk Road, further promote policy communication, facility connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people bonds, and jointly write a silk road. The road to prosperity and development is a new chapter.” Ma Xingrui, Secretary of the Party Committee of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, said.
“Xinjiang is becoming a hot spot for investment and business development”
“Xinjiang has obvious location advantages, outstanding energy resource endowment, and continuous release of various policy dividends. It is becoming an important undertaking area for the westward expansion of industries and a hot spot for the majority of enterprises to invest and start business.” Qiu Xiaoping, member of the party group and vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, said at the business fair At the Silk Road Business Symposium during the period, Chinese and foreign entrepreneurs were called on to conduct in-depth investigations in Xinjiang to find opportunities for investment and development.
In the past two years, the number of Hong Kong entrepreneurs who have visited and invested in Xinjiang has increased significantly. “Hong Kong is Xinjiang’s largest source of foreign investment and an important economic and trade partner of Xinjiang. We look forward to deepening cooperation between Xinjiang and Hong Kong, seeking common development, and sharing a win-win situation.” Qiu Yinghua, Director of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, introduced that by the end of 2022, Hong Kong A total of 640 investment projects have been made in Xinjiang, with a total contracted foreign trade amount of US$8.65 billion, and 6 companies have been listed in Hong Kong.
On the afternoon of August 18, the 2023 China Business Fair held key project signings. A total of 273 key projects were signed, with a total contract value of 493.212 billion yuan. Among them, the signing amount of Changji Prefecture exceeded 100 billion yuan, and the signing amount of Bazhou, Urumqi, and Turpan cities exceeded 50 billion yuan, highlighting the confidence of entrepreneurs in investing in Xinjiang.
“We are optimistic about the development of Xinjiang”
In the imported goods exhibition area of the 2023 China Chamber of Commerce, the red wine and fruit wine of the Kazakhstan National Pavilion, the mangoes of the Pakistan National Pavilion, and the honey of the Kyrgyz National Pavilion continued to sell well, and there was an endless stream of people who came to taste and buy them.
Kyrgyz Prime Minister A. Zaparov and Kazakhstan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Integration Ruman Garin led a delegation to participate in the Expo and delivered speeches at the opening ceremony.
A. Zaparov said in his speech that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kyrgyzstan and China 30 years ago, the economic and trade cooperation between the two sides has continued to expand. The bilateral trade volume between the two countries last year tripled compared to the same period in 2021. As China’s west gate to Central Asia and Eurasia, Xinjiang plays an important role in the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt. The relevant parties will deepen cooperation in the fields of e-commerce, digital logistics, agricultural products, water resources development and utilization, clean energy and other fields, and achieve more mutually beneficial results.
Ruman Garin led more than 300 Kazakh enterprises to Xinjiang for investigation, negotiation and signing of contracts. He said that China is an important trading partner of Kazakhstan, and Xinjiang is becoming a new growth pole of Kazakhstan’s trade. All parties should make full use of Xinjiang’s advantages and platforms to deepen cooperation in the fields of mineral resource development, agricultural product processing, medicine, education, and culture to promote sustained economic growth.
The Governor of Kovd Province in Mongolia, Borerma, is a “post-90s”. She brought more than 30 companies in the fields of agriculture and energy in her country to participate in this business fair. This is also the first time she has come to Xinjiang, China.
“We have very good cooperation with Xinjiang, China in many fields, involving economy, education, import and export, etc.” Baole Erma introduced that Khovd Province is located in the southwestern border of Mongolia, and is connected with Changji and Xinjiang in China. It borders the Altay region and shares two road ports of Wulastai and Takeshken with Xinjiang. “The main purpose of our visit this time is to promote smoother customs clearance at the port, thereby promoting the rapid growth of trade volume between the two places.”
At present, the China-Europe freight trains operating through Xinjiang account for more than half of China’s operating volume. The volume of goods passing through the Khorgos, Alashankou, and Turgat ports has repeatedly hit new highs. Some ports implement a 7×24-hour customs clearance mode, and the customs clearance efficiency continues Improvement… This excited the entrepreneurs from the Kazakhstan National Entrepreneurs Association and the Iran-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry. They all said: “We are optimistic about the future development of Xinjiang.”
“Guangming Daily” (version 10, August 21, 2023)
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责编：李昱莹 ]
2023-08-20 20:50:00
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