新疆：内陆腹地成为开放前沿

Core Points - Xinjiang's foreign trade has achieved significant growth, with a total import and export value of 356.31 billion yuan in the first eight months of this year, representing a 25.4% increase, surpassing the national growth rate by 21.9 percentage points [1][2] - The region is leveraging its strategic position in the Silk Road Economic Belt to enhance its role as a key hub for trade between Asia and Europe, contributing to a new development pattern through high-level openness [2][3] Trade Growth and Economic Impact - Xinjiang's foreign trade has crossed three trillion yuan milestones during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, with an average annual growth rate of 40% from 2021 to 2024 [2] - The export of automobiles from the Horgos port has seen a historical high, with 258,000 vehicles exported in the first eight months of this year, marking an 8.5% increase year-on-year, and electric vehicle exports have surged by 45.2% [3][4] Customs and Logistics Innovations - Horgos customs has implemented a 24-hour cargo clearance system and introduced a "self-driving export vehicle rapid clearance model," reducing overall clearance time from over 30 hours to under 5 hours, improving efficiency by 80% [4] - The establishment of dedicated channels for oversized wind power equipment and the implementation of a "green channel" for agricultural products have facilitated smoother trade operations [5] Cross-Border E-commerce Development - The cross-border e-commerce sector in Urumqi has seen remarkable growth, with exports reaching 8.87 billion yuan in the first eight months, a staggering increase of 185.6% [8] - The introduction of bonded aviation fuel at Urumqi Airport has significantly reduced logistics costs, enabling the company to increase its cross-border e-commerce cargo volume from 500-1,000 tons per month to over 5,000 tons [7] Infrastructure and Connectivity Enhancements - Urumqi International Airport has expanded its international cargo routes to 285, with a 446% increase in international cargo throughput this year [6] - The region has developed a comprehensive transportation network, including 119 international road transport routes to Europe, accounting for over one-third of the national total [6] Optimizing Business Environment - The establishment of the Xinjiang Free Trade Zone has attracted over 9,000 new enterprises, contributing to 30% of the region's total import and export volume [5] - Customs procedures have been streamlined, with the number of export clearance steps reduced from 12 to 4, cutting clearance time to 30-40 minutes, a reduction of 66.7% [10][11]