Xi'an makes steady progress in BRI pilot zone construction

Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, has expanded its exchanges and cooperation with foreign countries since its approval of the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) comprehensive pilot zone in December 2018.

The city has successively issued multiple plans, clarifying the roadmap and timetable for the development of the pilot zone and steadily pushing forward with various tasks.

Xi'an has established trade relations with 65 countries and regions involved in the BRI, partnered with 40 cities in 33 countries as sister cities, and engaged in friendly exchanges with 68 cities in 40 countries.

From its launch in November 2013 to the end of September 2023, the China-Europe Chang'an freight train made more than 20,000 trips, with its operation volume, freight volume, and heavy container rate ranking first in the country.

It currently operates 17 international trunk routes, covering 45 countries and regions across Asia and Europe.

Meanwhile, the Xi'an Xianyang International Airport has opened 386 passenger and cargo routes, achieving full coverage of passenger routes in Central Asia.

Platforms for opening-up in the city have demonstrated new vitality. Since the unveiling of the China (Shaanxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone, 179,000 new market entities have begun operating in the zone.

In the first half of this year, the city's bonded zones' total imports and exports were valued at 109.66 billion yuan ($15 billion).

In 2022, the city's foreign trade amounted to 447.41 billion yuan, with trade with countries and regions involved in the BRI reaching 97.05 billion yuan, a four-fold increase compared to 2013.

From January to August this year, the city's trade with countries and regions involved in the BRI reached 71.89 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 22.8 percent.

By the end of August this year, the city had established 94 enterprises and 35 institutions in countries and regions involved in the BRI, helping it expand cooperation with these countries and regions.