Observer Report
Urumqi, China
Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has seen $15.56 billion of imports and exports to member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the first half of 2019. Officials said here on Sunday that the two-way volume of trade with Pakistan has been showing an upward trend as well, under the framework of the SCO and the bilateral arrangements. The trade ties with Pakistan has also seen significant improvement in the corresponding period under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as recently built road network and the Gwadar seaport provides an easy access for the transportation of trade goods between the two sides. In the period, Xinjiang’s exports to the SCO member states reached 65.41 billion yuan, up 4.3 percent year-on-year, while its imports totaled 42.52 billion yuan, up 13 percent, according to Urumqi Customs. The main exports to SCO member states via Xinjiang are mechanical and electrical products, textiles, clothing and footwear, while crude oil and natural gas are the main import commodities. The major trading partners of Xinjiang ports to SCO member states are Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Kyrgyzstan. The inland port of Alashankou and the Horgos Port in Xinjiang are the major trading ports, according to the customs. The SCO was established in 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017.
