Construction on the second largest border trade zone in
northwest China's Xinjiang
Uygur Autonomous Region completed recently. It is expected to
open to Kazakhstan next Spring.
The trade zone is located at Jeminay in northern Xinjiang,
bordering Kazakhstan. The project, which has an area of 105,000
square meters, cost 20.08 million yuan (US$2.4 million).
The trade zone is able to accommodate 10,000 merchants and
handles 100 million yuan-worth of commodities annually, second only
to Korgos Port, which also borders Kazakhstan.
According to an agreement reached between China and Kazakhstan,
residents of both countries may do business, processing, re-export
and sightseeing at the trade zone with valid ID cards. Visas are
not required.
Currently, most daily necessities, especially food, clothes and
building materials, in Kazakhstan and Russia came from China.
Establishment of the trade zone at Jeminay is sure to promote
border trade between China and Russia and Kazakhstan, said Huo
Xiaolin, an official with the Jeminay Border Port.
The county government of Jeminay has worked out a series of
measures to take in investment from businessmen at home and
abroad.
Xinjiang, which covers 1.6 million square km, makes up one-sixth
of China's territory and shares 5,600 km of borders with Mongolia,
Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan
and India. The region has opened up 16 land ports to foreign
visitors and businesses.??
(Xinhua News Agency November 7, 2004)