Diplomats highlight Xinjiang’s growing role in regional connectivity, trade and development

A number of foreign ambassadors to China on Friday highlighted Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region's growing importance in connectivity, trade and cross-border cooperation, portraying it as a key gateway for China's broader engagement with the wider world.

The remarks were made at an exchange event in Beijing attended by 72 guests from 40 countries, where participants discussed Xinjiang's role in promoting connectivity, development and people-to-people exchanges.

Kazakhstan's Ambassador to China, Shakhrat Nuryshev, said Xinjiang occupies a special place in cooperation between his country and China, describing ties with the region as an outstanding example of cross-border cooperation.

He noted that Kazakhstan shares a border of more than 1,700 kilometers with Xinjiang, which borders four Kazakh regions, and said Xinjiang has become Kazakhstan's principal economic partner in China as well as a major transit hub linking Asian and European markets.

Trade between Kazakhstan and China reached $48.7 billion in 2025, up 11 percent year-on-year, with trade with Xinjiang accounting for $23.5 billion, Nuryshev said.

Turkiye's Ambassador to China, Selcuk Unal, also underscored Xinjiang's strategic position, saying it has long served as China's gateway to the West.

The ambassador said he made his first visit to Xinjiang in November 2025, after taking office in August that year, where he observed the government's efforts to promote development across different sectors and visited sites reflecting the two sides' shared cultural heritage.

Increased contacts will further expand cooperation, strengthen commercial ties and bring the two sides closer through cultural and people-to-people exchanges, he added.

Belarusian Ambassador to China Charviakou Aliaksandr said cooperation between Belarus and Xinjiang already rests on solid foundations, including interregional cooperation mechanisms, sister-city ties, signed agreements, direct flights, logistics routes, growing trade volumes and rising business interest.

According to Aliaksandr, Belarus's exports to Xinjiang more than tripled in 2025, a sign that the region is emerging as an important and promising partner for Belarus in western China, and the country is ready to build long-term and practical cooperation with Xinjiang, he added.

Cameroonian Ambassador to China Martin Mpana said Xinjiang has for centuries stood at the crossroads of civilizations as an essential part of the ancient Silk Road connecting East and West, and now plays an important role in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative.

Looking ahead, he said there is plenty of room to deepen cooperation between Cameroon and China, including with Xinjiang, in such areas as tourism, agriculture, renewable energy, desert conservation and animal husbandry. Xinjiang's experience in modern irrigation, desert agriculture and renewable energy, he added, offers valuable lessons for Cameroon's development priorities.

Sohail Khan, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, or SCO, praised the region's contribution to transport infrastructure development. He said the modernization of border ports and the development of new transport corridors are turning Xinjiang into a key logistics hub across Eurasia, directly serving the interests of all 10 SCO member states.

Khan also cited Xinjiang's rapid growth in green energy, modern agriculture and the digital economy, and welcomed local efforts to establish free trade zones, saying they have created new opportunities for businesses across SCO countries.

Official data shows Xinjiang traded with 228 countries and regions last year, with total foreign trade exceeding 520 billion yuan ($75.5 billion). Xinjiang has 19 ports open to foreign countries.