Northwest China's
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region will open its second border
trade market to Kazakhstan starting from March 1, a regional trade
official has said.
The Jeminay Border Trade Zone bordering Kazakhstan covers
105,000 square meters in Altay Prefecture and can accommodate
10,000 merchants and 3,000 tons of cargo. Its annual transaction is
expected to top 100 million yuan (US$12.5 million).
According to the agreement between the foreign ministries of
China and Kazakhstan, Kazak businessmen holding a valid passport
and health certificate do not have to apply for a visa for a
one-day, duty-free shopping tour to the border zone through a
special passageway.
The Jeminay Border Trade Zone, which allows general trade,
transit trade as well as border trade, is second only to the Horgos
Port in Xinjiang. It is 624 kilometers from Xinjiang's regional
capital Urumqi and 1,100 kilometers from Kazakhstan's capital
Astana.
Xinjiang, which covers an area of more than 1.6 million square
km, makes up one-sixth of China's territory and shares 5,600 km of
borders with Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. The region has opened up 16 land
ports to foreign tourists and business people.
(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2006)
