Xinjiang foreign trade soars 70% in first two months

URUMQI - The foreign trade volume of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region soared over 70 percent year on year in the first two months of 2017, local authorities said Friday.

Urumqi Customs data showed that Xinjiang's trade value reached 21.3 billion yuan ($3.1 billion) in the first two months, up 74.1 percent year on year.

Exported goods, mainly textiles, shoes and mechanical parts, reached 18.3 billion yuan, up 73.5 percent year on year.

Imported goods, including mechanical equipment and farm produce, stood at 3.01 billion yuan, up 77.7 percent year on year.

Kazakhstan remains Xinjiang's top trade partner, with a trade volume of 6.72 billion yuan, with growth of 77.9 percent.

Increasing global demand and depreciation of the Chinese currency are among the factors contributing to the trade growth, according to customs officials.

The central government and Xinjiang regional government have boosted trade through expanding trade channels between Xinjiang and its trading partners, improving transportation and investing in trade information systems.