Major development drives in Xinjiang

By Erdal Emre, Head of News of YÖN Radio

With massive investments, the Chinese government is integrating the Xinjiang region into the broader development framework of Central China, while simultaneously reimagining Xinjiang as the country’s gateway to the west, as it has historically been. Across the fertile basins north and south of the Tianshan Mountains, modern infrastructure is rising, including high-quality industrial zones, ancient sites transformed into cultural tourism destinations, modern agriculture powered by artificial intelligence, solar power plants, high-speed trains bound for Europe, and expansive free trade zones.

As the economy of the People’s Republic of China continues to grow, it is evident that the same growth trajectory is being mirrored in Xinjiang.

In 2023, Xinjiang’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 1.91 trillion yuan, marking a 6.8% increase compared to the previous year.

With its unique topography comprising “three mountain ranges and two basins,” Xinjiang presents a captivating natural landscape. However, this rugged terrain once posed a significant natural barrier, hindering transportation and limiting the pace of development.

Today, a well-connected network of roads, railways, and airports linking urban and rural areas across northern and southern Xinjiang, is playing a crucial role in enhancing the competitiveness of local industries.

Freshly picked fruits from Xinjiang’s fertile basins, such as melons, watermelons, plums, apricots, can now be delivered to dining tables in Beijing and Shanghai on the same day or by the next day.

Focusing on key areas such as modern infrastructure, advanced industries, social security, and poverty alleviation, the Chinese government, in collaboration with the Autonomous Regional Government, plans to implement 430 major projects this year, with investments exceeding 350 billion yuan.

Compared to 2023, the number of major projects has increased by 30%, while the total investment has risen by 16.7%.

According to by Erkin Tuniyaz, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Regional Committee and Chairman of the Autonomous Region, who shared details during a press conference in Beijing last May, Xinjiang ranked among China’s top five in terms of growth rates in six key indicators in 2023: GDP, investment, consumption, imports, exports, and residents’ income.

Erdal Emre at the Urumuqi International Grand Bazzare, Urumuqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. (Photo provied to Guangming Online)

Over the past two years, Xinjiang’s total import and export volumes have increased by 57 percent and 45.9 percent respectively. The number of China-Europe (Central Asia) trains passing through Xinjiang accounts for more than 60 percent of the country.

The Chinese government is accelerating the development of “eight major industrial clusters” in Xinjiang, encompassing oil, gas, coal, electricity, coal-based chemicals, green mining, and strategically emerging industries.

Chairman Erkin Tuniyaz of the Autonomous Region outlined Xinjiang’s goals as follows:

“We will expand high-level opening-up both domestically and internationally, establish a golden corridor between Asia and Europe and build a strategic bridgehead for westward opening.”

During our visit, we observed firsthand the tangible results of Xinjiang’s economic development through various projects.

We were in the Urumqi International Land Port area. This is one of the milestone projects in the construction of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt…

Urumqi International Land Port area, Urumuqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. (Photo provied to Guangming Online)

It has the distinction of being the “single port” built in the layout “one port, two regions and five central port economic belts” of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

In all processes at the port, manual operations are almost never used. Thanks to the digital port and customs clearance integrated declaration model, cargo inspection, customs declaration and customs transfer procedures of China-Europe trains are completed very quickly.

Two years ago, President Xi Jinping visited the port, emphasizing that with the advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative, Xinjiang has transformed from a remote region into a core and central area of development.

The Chinese government is promoting high-quality growth in Xinjiang via the Urumqi International Land Port region. Connecting to 19 countries and 26 cities through 3 main routes, the Port is a vivid example of Xinjiang’s own regional opening-up strategy and the country’s general strategy of opening up to the West.

One of these routes passes through Türkiye and reaches Europe.

This year alone, over 100 million cargo shipments, covering more than 200 different types of goods, have been dispatched from the port.

Large investments like the Urumqi International Land Port serve as a driving force behind Xinjiang’s economic growth.

Xinjiang, which trades with 197 countries and regions, saw its total import and export value increase by 49.5% compared to the previous year, ranking among the top in China.

One of the important locations of the developing economy and trade in Xinjiang is Horgos…

Horgos is part of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture of China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The region has a large Kazakh population.

Horgos hosts the China-Kazakhstan Free Trade Zone, the world’s first cross-border international free economic zone, and China’s first special economic zone situated “within the country but outside the jurisdiction of its customs.”

The cargo containers that arrive at the Horgos Free Trade Zone by rail from the ports in eastern China in five days take around 10 days to reach the city of Duisburg in northwestern Germany. Moreover, it is faster than sea transportation and cheaper than air transportation.

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region also has significant tourism potential thanks to its natural beauties, ancient cities, rich cultural structure, ethnic diversity and delicious food. The Chinese government views tourism as an important pillar of the high-quality development of Xinjiang. In August last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping made assessments on the development of tourism in Xinjiang, emphasizing the need to strengthen the protection and use of cultural relics and the preservation of cultural heritage. The development of tourism in Xinjiang is also part of the Chinese government’s strategy for governing Xinjiang. Various cultural projects under the banner of “Cultural Nourishment of Xinjiang” are aiming at accelerating the cultural integration of Xinjiang.

In the first half of 2024, Xinjiang welcomed more than 120 million tourists, with its tourism revenues rising by 37.39% year-on-year.

The concrete impact of the government’s tourism strategy was evident throughout our visit, at almost every point in our travel program.

From the Kazakh Uplands at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains to the Buddhist temples on the arid plains, from the two-thousand-year-old Silk Road lighthouse to ancient Kashi, Xinjiang’s tourism areas are bustling with activity.

Erdal Emre at the Nalati Grassland, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. (Photo provied to Guangming Online)

The Kazakh Uplands have become a dual hub for livestock farming and tourism. Tens of thousands of visitors flock daily to experience traditional Kazakh life, drinking kumis, riding horses, and participating in folk games with the locals.

The government enforces strict measures to preserve the natural environment of the Uplands. We have witnessed that the service has reached the peaks of the mountains, from highways to cable cars, from observation terraces to modern facilities compatible with nature. This increases the flow of tourists to the region every year.

Nalati Grasslands, one of the destinations on our itinerary, attracted over 2 million visitors in the first half of 2024 alone.

There has been a 51.78% increase in the number of tourists coming to the Nalati District in the last year.

In cities such as Urumqi, the historic bazaar, Yining’s five-star tourism area, Kashi’s ancient city center, and Kucha’s old town have been largely restored and opened to tourism. Along the historic Silk Road route, sites such as Kizilgaha Beacon Tower, ancient Buddhist temples, mosques, mausoleums, museums, markets, and intangible cultural heritage landmarks have made Xinjiang a rapidly emerging tourism destination.

Tourists visit the Ancient City of Kashi, Kashi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. (Photo provied to Guangming Online)

Conclusion

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is brought to the agenda in our country mostly as a material for domestic politics and with a populist understanding.

Information about the region largely comes from Western news agencies and civil society reports, which often contain elements of disinformation.

What we witnessed during our 10-day visit, however, was significant economic development in Xinjiang, in parallel with the broader economic progress in China.

It is not difficult to predict that the Autonomous Region will play a much more critical role in China’s trade with the West in the coming years.

Given Turkey’s historical and cultural ties and its strategic position on the Belt and Road Initiative, it has a unique opportunity to develop strong economic relations with Xinjiang.

Will our country be able to use this chance? The answer to this question is hidden in the future course of Türkiye-China relations.

Nevertheless, it is worth noting that shortly after Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Xinjiang, China Southern Airlines, one of China’s largest airlines, decided to launch Urumqi-Istanbul flights. This development has been welcomed by business circles in both Urumqi and Istanbul.