Xinjiang's foreign trade grows steadily

Growth of foreign trade of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has remained steady despite sanctions from some countries, which shows its strong resilience against headwinds, said deputies to the 14th National People's Congress.

In response to the fact that some countries have introduced actions to impose sanctions on some enterprises and individuals in Xinjiang, Wang Kuiran, an NPC deputy and secretary-general of the People's Government of Xinjiang, gave a firm answer during the ongoing two sessions in Beijing.

"The nature of sanctions is to use the lies and fallacies of so-called forced labor under the pretext of sanctions, disregard facts, engage in political manipulation and economic bullying, plot to contain China by exploiting Xinjiang, and hinder China's development," he said.

"At the initial stage of the sanctions, some export-oriented enterprises encountered difficulties and impacts such as blocked exports, financial losses and reduced employment.

"However, our development has never relied on handouts from anyone, nor do we fear any unreasonable suppression. The ambition, integrity and confidence deeply rooted in the history of the Chinese people have forged a development resilience that grows stronger under pressure," he said.

He added that Xinjiang's foreign trade growth serves as strong evidence.

In 2020, Xinjiang's total foreign trade volume stood at only 156.91 billion yuan ($22.72 billion). From 2022 to 2025, data shows that Xinjiang broke successively through the 200-billion-, 300-billion-, 400-billion — and 500-billion-yuan thresholds. In 2025, it reached 520.37 billion yuan, up 19.9 percent year-on-year, with the growth rate ranking first in China.

Zheng Jun, an NPC deputy and deputy director of Xinjiang's regional department of finance, said that this was achieved through the advantages of location, efficiency of transportation, and industrial and policy support.

"We strive for advantages through location," he said. "The country has endowed Xinjiang with the strategic opportunities of serving as a 'golden transport corridor' linking Asia and Europe and a window of opening-up to the West."

At present, Xinjiang has established trade relations with 228 countries and regions, and its circle of friends is continuously expanding.

Besides, Xinjiang's foreign trade owes much to the optimization and upgrading of its industrial structure.

In the past, export was dominated by energy and raw materials, which is shifting to a structure of deep-processing products with high technology and high added value. In 2025, Xinjiang's exports of mechanical and electrical products reached 186.5 billion yuan, an increase of 40.7 percent year-on-year. Exports of electric vehicles and solar cells rose by 99.9 percent and 187.4 percent, respectively.

Xinjiang has increasingly consolidated its status as a cross-border logistics hub, and an international logistics network integrating railway, highway, and air transport has been built. This enables domestic logistics to accelerate and helps "Made in Xinjiang" products connect rapidly with global markets, he said.

Xinjiang has also put forward a series of policies to promote trade in goods and services besides digital trade. Multiple digital, smart, and convenient public service platforms are being upgraded.

"During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), relying on its geographical advantages, Xinjiang will accelerate institutional opening-up and integration of trade and investment," Zheng said. "Xinjiang will achieve high-quality development of foreign trade with steady growth in scale, diversified market players, and a continuously optimized structure."

On how to respond to sanctions, Wang said: "In the face of risks and challenges, we stand firm as a mountain, unshaken by wind and rain; we will not rest until we achieve our goal; we will sail through the winds and waves to reach our destination."

chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn