This year, Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, has prioritized breakthroughs in opening-up to foster the high-quality development of its economy.

From January to October, the city achieved a total foreign trade value of 339.68 billion yuan ($46.54 billion), marking a 15.6-percent year-on-year growth rate. Exports reached 227.8 billion yuan, while imports totaled 111.87 billion yuan.

Trade with the countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and South Korea rose by an impressive 25.6 percent and 27.5 percent, respectively.

In July 2024, the China-Europe freight train (Xi'an) crossing the Caspian Sea ranked first nationwide in terms of both frequency and volume, reducing logistics costs and enhancing global trade platforms.

Meanwhile, Xi'an Xianyang International Airport expanded its international network to include seven cities in Central Asia, becoming the country's leading hub in the region. By Nov 12, its passenger throughput reached 41.39 million this year, surpassing last year's total.

It now operates 48 dedicated cargo routes, including 28 international ones. With the Phase III expansion completed, the airport will accommodate 83 million passengers and 1 million metric tons of cargo annually upon commissioning.

Xi'an also excelled at global expos this year, signing agreements worth 6.98 billion yuan at the 7th China International Import Expo and over $50 million in prospective orders at the 136th Canton Fair.

In addition, cross-border e-commerce flourished, with transactions totaling 13.1 billion yuan from January to October. By the end of September, the Airport New City of Xixian New Area had achieved a cumulative cross-border e-commerce transaction volume exceeding 40 million orders, with a total trade value of approximately 10 billion yuan, maintaining an average annual growth rate of over 20 percent.

Xi'an's innovative two-way trade model continues to strengthen its position as a global logistics and commerce hub.