URUMQI, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The foreign trade value of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region rose by 26 percent year on year in the first 11 months of 2024, reaching a record 403.1 billion yuan (about 56.1 billion U.S. dollars), according to local authorities.

This is the first time the region's foreign trade value has exceeded 400 billion yuan, Urumqi Customs said.

Xinjiang's trade with the five Central Asian countries grew by 6.9 percent year on year, accounting for 67.9 percent of the region's total foreign trade during the same period. Meanwhile, trade with its largest trading partner, Kazakhstan, rose by 17.6 percent year on year.

The region's trade with ASEAN countries surged by 231 percent year on year, accounting for 8 percent of its total trade during the period.

Established in November last year, the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone, spanning Urumqi, Kashgar and Horgos, has supported the growth of trade businesses, with its trade reaching 162.9 billion yuan in the first 11 months of this year, accounting for 40.4 percent of the region's total, according to the customs.

Thanks to its unique geographic advantages, continuous improvements in the business environment and targeted services for enterprises, Xinjiang has achieved steady trade growth, said Li Qinghua, deputy head of Urumqi Customs. ■