Xinjiang trade slows, but imports way up

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region's foreign trade was 20.3 billion yuan ($2.89 billion) in the first two months of 2020, 3.1 percent below the same period last year, according to Urumqi Customs.

Exports were valued at 12.95 billion yuan, down 16.7 percent from the same period last year. Imports reached 7.08 billion yuan, an increase of 38.5 percent than the same period last year.

"Because of the outbreak of COVID-19 in the region, the main export commodities in the first two months of 2020 were in seven categories of traditional labor-intensive products, including textiles, yarns, fabric and related products, furniture and luggage, all of which showed a downward trend," said Wu Wei, deputy director of Urumqi Customs.

Meanwhile, Wu said imports of bulk commodities, such as natural gas, metals and ore sand have kept up their rapid growth.

Among trading partners of the region, Kazakhstan continues as the largest. In the first two months of this year, Xinjiang's imports and exports with Kazakhstan reached 10.83 billion yuan, an increase of 29.1 percent over the same period last year, accounting for 54.1 percent of the region's total foreign trade in the first two months.

"We are trying our best to reduce the impact of the coronavirus epidemic. Customs fully supports the prevention and control of the virus, and stabilizing and promoting the foreign trade of the region," Wu said.