Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Reading Time: 2 minutesThis is a report from China.org.cn about a journey to Xinjiang:
Under the organization of the China Economic Cooperation Center, I, along with a delegation of 20 foreign business leaders and chamber of commerce executives, am about to visit Xinjiang. Coming from various parts of the world, we are all filled with anticipation for this trip.
I visited Xinjiang 10 years ago, so I’m eager to see the changes that have taken place since then. Located in northwest China, Xinjiang is a melting pot of Eastern and Western civilizations, where diverse ethnic groups with different customs live harmoniously.
Xinjiang is not only a place where diverse civilizations coexist harmoniously, but also a region where people from all over the globe come together.
In the first eight months of 2023, Xinjiang welcomed up to 182 million visitors. This tourism boom is closely linked to the significant improvements in infrastructure.
Kashi Old Town is now a renowned 5A-rated historical and cultural site in Xinjiang. Once considered a dilapidated town, its impressive transformation today is thanks to a massive renovation project worth 7 billion yuan ($970 million).
Another project that has drawn significant attention during this trip is in Jiashi County, located at the western edge of the Tarim Basin. Over 1.7 billion yuan was invested to bring meltwater from the snow-capped mountains to urban areas through an 1,800-kilometer pipeline, providing drinking water for over 460,000 residents.
Jiashi County’s unique soil and climate produce high-quality plums with a delicious taste. Jiashi accounts for 40% of China’s plum cultivation area and 60% of the production, making it the largest plum trading hub in the country. Support from Foshan in southern China’s Guangdong province has capitalized on Jiashi’s industrial strengths, leading to the establishment of the Guangdong-Jiashi Modern Plum Industrial Park. This initiative has propelled the development of a complete industrial chain for Jiashi plums.
In Urumqi, the delegation visited the 2023 China-Eurasia Expo, which attracted over 1,300 Chinese and overseas enterprises. Many businesses have already capitalized on the vast opportunities presented by Xinjiang’s openness.
As our trip concludes, each member, including myself, has identified potential investment opportunities. The most memorable part of this trip for me has been the smiles: the cheerful aunt selling egg rolls, the joyful smile of the elderly blacksmith, and the innocent smiles of the children. These smiles represent unity, progress, and prosperity, embodying Xinjiang’s openness, confidence, and hope.