Xinjiang achieves historic breakthroughs in economic development: official

China

Xinjiang achieves historic breakthroughs in economic development: official

2025-09-20 15:33 Last Updated At：09-21 00:37

Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has achieved historic breakthroughs in its economic development, said an official from the region on Friday.

Chen Weijun, executive vice chairman of the regional government, briefed a press conference in Beijing, releasing a white paper on the governance of Xinjiang.

Multiple economic indicators in Xinjiang are among the fastest-rising nationwide, said Chen.

"In terms of total volume, multiple economic indicators have achieved historic breakthroughs. For example, Xinjiang's gross domestic product (GDP) surpassed the two trillion yuan (about 281.4 billion U.S. dollars) mark for the first time last year. The total import and export volume of Xinjiang also hit a record high of 434 billion yuan in 2024. From 2022 to 2024, Xinjiang's total import and export volume exceeded the 100 billion yuan mark for three consecutive years," said Chen.

"Last year, Xinjiang's GDP grew by 6.1 percent year on year. Its fixed-asset investment rose by 6.9 percent year on year, value-added industrial output of enterprises above the designated size grew by eight percent, and general public budget revenue rose by 10.5 percent," said Chen.

Leveraging its geographical advantage, Xinjiang has been actively promoting the building of a golden channel across the Eurasian continent and a gateway for opening up to the west.

"We are making every effort to accelerate the construction of the Eurasian Golden Corridor. To date, we have established 119 bilateral international road transport routes and 10 multilateral international road freight routes. In 2024, a total of 16,400 freight trains traveled through Xinjiang on the China-Europe Railway Express, maintaining an annual volume of over 10,000 trains for five consecutive years. The increasingly robust transportation network, which includes road, rail, and air routes that span mountains and rivers, is creating stronger connections that link Xinjiang to global markets," Chen added.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Located in northwest China, the region is home to more than 26 million people from dozens of ethnic groups.

Chinese AI glasses sales gain boost from consumer subsidies, overseas demand

Chinese-made artificial intelligence (AI) glasses have been enjoying a surge in orders in Huaqiangbei, home to one of the world's largest electronics markets in south China's Guangdong Province, thanks to the country's national subsidy program and growing recognition in overseas markets.

In January this year, AI glasses were included in China's national subsidy program for the first time, offering buyers a 15-percent discount on purchases, capped at 500 yuan (about 74 U.S. dollars).

The electronics market in Huaqiangbei attracts shoppers from all over the country. At a brand store of Chinese tech giant Huawei, many were drawn to the company's newly released AI glasses product.

"Many inconvenient things on a mobile phone can be done with these glasses. For example, taking photos -- I can simply talk to the glasses after seeing what's there with my naked eyes, and it will do the job," said a consumer surnamed Liu from north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. "Our sales in May increased by 25 percent compared to April. This product, originally priced at 2,499 yuan (about 369 U.S. dollars), can also enjoy a 15-percent national subsidy, bringing the final price down to just over 2,100 yuan," said Wu Yinan, a product experience consultant at the Huawei store.

Data from China's e-commerce giant JD.com showed that in May, mainstream smart AI glasses saw their transaction volume skyrocket by over 200 percent year on year.

In the Huaqiangbei market, a dazzling array of AI glasses from various brands are prominently displayed, with prices ranging from around 100 yuan to 5,000 yuan. Lately, they have been attracting flocks of overseas buyers, including business owners hoping to resell in their own country.

"We have many overseas clients in Huaqiangbei. These glasses can be used to take photos, videos, and audio recordings, make and receive phone calls, and translate. They just use these glasses to record their life from a first-person perspective," said merchant Yuan Xiaoyuan.

"Some overseas customers might initially buy one or two, but after trying them out in the overseas market and receiving a very good response, they immediately place additional orders, potentially dozens or even hundreds," said Wang Chengzhu, deputy general manager of Huaqiangbei electronics market.