Foreign trade business

In 2018, a comprehensive bonded zone was launched in Urumqi, the third in the region. The zone, covering 2.4 square kilometers, is in the northwestern part of the city, near a container hub for rail transport, an expressway and an international airport.

Investment in the zone has reached 2.8 billion yuan ($430 million) and 31 companies were attracted to locate there, said Zhu Gang, director of the zone's administrative committee.

With the advantages of Urumqi as an international land port and freight trains connecting China and Europe, the zone will help to bolster the construction of the Belt and Road in Xinjiang, Zhu said.