Foreign trade between China's Xinjiang, Central Asia reaches 100 bln yuan landmark in Jan-May period

Foreign trade between northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and five Central Asian countries exceeded the landmark figure of 100 billion yuan (about 13.9 billion U.S. dollars) in the first five months of this year, accounting for 39.4 percent of the country's total with the region, according to data released by Urumqi Customs.

The robust growth of foreign trade between Xinjiang and the five Central Asian countries, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, has mirrored the stronger bilateral ties.

Driven by policy support and deeper Belt and Road cooperation, Xinjiang's exports to Central Asia are becoming increasingly diversified.

From January to May, agricultural exports to the five Central Asian countries reached 4.47 billion yuan (some 626 million U.S. dollars), up 100.1 percent year on year, the data showed.

Exports of dried and fresh fruits, nuts, grains, vegetables, edible fungi, and beverages all saw notable increases, according to the data.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil issued a statement on Saturday, saying that the security alert released by the U.S. Department of State regarding Venezuela is based on false claims that do not exist and is intended to create a perception of risk that is not real.

According to the statement posted on Gil's official X account, Venezuela is currently in a state of absolute calm, peace and stability.

All residential areas, transportation routes, checkpoints and security facilities in the country are functioning normally, and all armed forces nationwide are under the government's control.

The statement came after the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs on Saturday warned that as international flights have resumed, U.S. citizens in Venezuela "should leave the country immediately."