BRI 10 years on: Xi'an expands economic, trade cooperation

In the decade since the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was proposed, Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, has strengthened economic and trade cooperation with countries and regions involved in the initiative, becoming a vibrant hub for reform and opening-up.

Booming trade

Xi'an has actively explored emerging markets in foreign trade through major economic and trade events such as the Silk Road International Expo, China International Import Expo, China-ASEAN Expo, and Canton Fair.

Since 2013, trade between Shaanxi and countries and regions involved in BRI has doubled, with an average annual growth rate of 18.4 percent.

In 2022, Xi'an's trade with countries and regions involved in the BRI increased by 39 percent. From January to July this year, trade between Xi'an and these countries and regions reached 64.66 billion yuan ($8.85 billion), a growth of 31.2 percent.

China-Europe Chang'an freight train

Since its launch in November 2013, the China-Europe Chang'an freight train has made leaps and bounds in its operating efficiency. The annual number of trips increased from less than 100 initially to 4,639 in 2022, and the types of goods transported have expanded from industrial machinery products alone to grains, light industry, and building materials.

In the first seven months of this year, the freight train made 3,045 trips, a year-on-year increase of 37.3 percent, transporting 2.74 million metric tons of goods, up 47.7 percent.

The freight train has become an important channel for trade between Xi'an and countries and regions involved in the BRI.

Service outsourcing business

Over the past decade, Xi'an has actively engaged in service outsourcing cooperation with countries and regions involved in the BRI.

From 2013 to 2022, the value of service outsourcing contracts between Xi'an and these countries and regions increased from $216.55 million to $476.07 million, a growth of 119.84 percent.

Service outsourcing trade value with Russia, Mongolia, and the five Central Asian countries has increased from $5.4 million to $40.88 million, a growth of 657 percent.

Moving forward, as Xi'an integrates further into the BRI, its external economic and trade cooperation will continue to deepen and expand.