Trade in goods crossed 100 billion dollars for the first time
In the ancient crossroads city of Urumqi, where Silk Road caravans once paused before crossing into Central Asia, a modern gathering of nations is taking shape. From June 25 to 29, the 9th China-Eurasia Expo will bring together participants from 27 countries across 140,000 square meters of exhibition space, formalizing economic relationships that have already crossed a historic threshold — over $100 billion in China-Central Asia trade in 2025. The event is less a beginning than a recognition: that geography, long dormant as strategic asset, has reasserted itself, and that Xinjiang now stands not at the edge of things, but at their center.
- China-Central Asia trade surpassed $100 billion for the first time in 2025, signaling a structural realignment of the region's commercial gravity.
- Twenty-seven countries and multiple international organizations are converging on Urumqi, reflecting the breadth of appetite for deeper Eurasian economic integration.
- Six specialized zones — spanning AI, digital commerce, green development, and Silk Road partnerships — reveal how ambitiously China is framing the region's economic future.
- Emerging technologies like low-altitude aviation and biomanufacturing are being showcased alongside traditional trade, signaling that innovation, not just goods, is now the currency of regional partnership.
- Beijing is deliberately positioning Xinjiang as strategic infrastructure for continental commerce, treating its geography as an asset to be actively leveraged rather than passively acknowledged.
Urumqi is preparing to host the 9th China-Eurasia Expo from June 25 through 29, filling its convention spaces with exhibitors, investors, and officials from 27 countries across Central Asia and beyond. The scale is considerable — roughly 140,000 square meters divided into six zones, each illuminating a different dimension of regional economic life: investment cooperation, advanced manufacturing, specialty goods, green development, cultural exchange, and Silk Road trade partnerships.
Running through all of it is a technological current. Artificial intelligence, digital commerce, low-altitude aviation, and biomanufacturing will feature prominently, offering a window into where innovation is concentrating across the Eurasian landscape. Deputy Commerce Minister Deng Bo announced the details at a press conference, framing the expo as a platform for deepening ties across the region.
The numbers behind the event carry their own weight. In 2025, trade between China and Central Asian nations crossed $100 billion for the first time — a milestone reflecting a structural shift in which China has become the region's largest trading partner and a primary source of investment capital. The expo, in this light, is less a showcase than a formalization of relationships already reshaping the region's commercial geography.
Xinjiang's role in this picture is deliberate. Sitting at the intersection of Chinese territory and Central Asian markets, Urumqi has been designated a staging ground for expanded cooperation with neighboring nations. Chinese officials have made clear they intend to treat the region's location not as incidental, but as strategic infrastructure — a modern echo of the ancient routes that once made this city a meeting point of worlds.
Urumqi is preparing to host one of the year's largest trade gatherings. From June 25 through 29, the city will fill its convention spaces with exhibitors, investors, and officials from across Central Asia and beyond for the 9th China-Eurasia Expo. The scale is substantial: roughly 140,000 square meters of floor space divided into six distinct zones, each designed to showcase a different dimension of regional economic life.
The expo's architecture reflects what Chinese officials see as the region's economic future. One zone focuses on investment cooperation itself. Another highlights what Beijing calls "new quality productive forces"—a term encompassing advanced manufacturing and emerging industries. There are dedicated spaces for specialty goods, green development initiatives, cultural and tourism offerings, and Silk Road trade partnerships. Running through all of it is a technological current: artificial intelligence, digital commerce, low-altitude aviation, and biomanufacturing will feature prominently, offering a window into where innovation is concentrating.
The participant list signals the event's regional reach. Exhibitors from 27 countries and regions have already confirmed they will attend, along with representatives from international organizations. Deng Bo, a deputy director at China's Ministry of Commerce, announced these details at a press conference on Tuesday, framing the expo as a platform for deepening ties across the Eurasian landscape.
The numbers behind the event tell a story about momentum. In 2025, trade in goods between China and Central Asian countries crossed the 100 billion dollar threshold for the first time. That milestone matters because it reflects a structural shift: China has become the largest trading partner for Central Asian nations and a major source of investment capital flowing into the region. The expo, in this context, is not merely a showcase but a formalization of economic relationships that are already reshaping the region's commercial geography.
Xinjiang's role in this picture is deliberate. The region sits at the intersection of Chinese territory and Central Asian markets, a geographical fact that has shaped trade patterns for centuries. Chinese officials have made clear they intend to leverage this position further, using Urumqi as a staging ground for expanded economic and trade cooperation with neighboring nations. The ministry said it will continue supporting Xinjiang in this effort, treating the region's location not as incidental but as strategic infrastructure for regional commerce.
What unfolds over those five days in late June will likely reflect broader patterns already underway: Chinese firms seeking new markets and investment opportunities, Central Asian businesses looking for capital and technology partnerships, and government officials working to formalize and expand the channels through which goods, money, and expertise move across borders. The expo gives all of this a physical space and a schedule.
Notable Quotes
The expo will showcase artificial intelligence, digital economy, low-altitude economy and biomanufacturing to highlight technological innovation achievements.— Deng Bo, deputy director of the Trade Development Bureau, Ministry of Commerce
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does a trade expo in Xinjiang matter enough to announce months in advance?
Because the numbers have shifted. When China-Central Asia trade crosses 100 billion dollars for the first time, it signals that these aren't marginal relationships anymore. They're structural. An expo formalizes what's already happening.
What's the significance of the six zones? Why not just one big exhibition floor?
Each zone tells a different story about what the region is trying to become. Investment cooperation, green development, AI—they're not separate interests. They're pieces of a single vision: a modernized, technology-enabled Central Asia with China as the anchor.
You mentioned 27 countries and regions. Does that include competitors to China?
The source doesn't specify. But the fact that it's framed as a regional cooperation event suggests the focus is on deepening existing partnerships rather than competing for influence. Though of course those things aren't entirely separate.
What about the low-altitude economy and biomanufacturing? Those seem oddly specific.
They're emerging sectors where China is investing heavily. By showcasing them here, Beijing is signaling where it sees growth and where it wants Central Asian partners to follow. It's not just trade—it's technology transfer and economic alignment.
Does Xinjiang's geography actually matter, or is that just rhetoric?
It matters absolutely. Xinjiang is the physical bridge between China and Central Asia. Every trade route, every investment flow, every supply chain has to move through or around that space. Geography isn't destiny, but it shapes the economics of who can do business with whom.