Tourists select commodities at a border trade center near Bakti port in Tacheng, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo)

Small-scale border trade in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region saw an import and export volume of 209.09 billion yuan (30.2 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, coming in top nationwide for a fourth consecutive year, official data shows.

A key region for China's westward opening up, Xinjiang has capitalized on its geographical edge to deepen border trade cooperation with neighboring countries. In 2025, the region's total foreign trade surpassed 500 billion yuan for the first time, which was a 19.9 percent year-on-year increase -- the fastest growth rate in China. Small-scale border trade played a pivotal role in this expansion.

To enhance trade facilitation, Xinjiang has advanced port infrastructure upgrades and innovated customs clearance models. Breakthroughs in the construction of smart ports include the implementation of a 24/7 operations system for the first freight channel between China and Kyrgyzstan, boosting efficiency significantly.

To date, Xinjiang has established eight local economic cooperation mechanisms with adjacent regions in neighboring countries.

In 2026, Xinjiang plans to accelerate port modernization, extend the operating hours of major road ports, and improve storage and logistics conditions to ensure the healthy, sustained development of border trade, according to a conference on optimizing the region's business environment held on Wednesday.