In the first half of this year, the Xi'an area of the China (Shaanxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone FTZ saw many achievements, establishing itself as a crucial component of Xi'an's opening-up and high-quality development.

From January to June, the Xi'an area of the Shaanxi FTZ saw 25 innovative cases, including four national-level innovations.

The Xi'an Railway Container Center Station. [Photo/Xi'an Daily]

In terms of financial service innovation, the Xi'an area has also made strides. This year saw the establishment of Shaanxi province's first QFLP pilot fund - the Shaanxi Zhiwu Private Equity Fund (with a scale of $20 million). This initiative has aided in the attraction and utilization of foreign investment in the province.

To facilitate trade, innovative measures such as the "pre-check security, port-area linkage, direct loading upon arrival" model for goods being exported via China-Europe freight trains have significantly streamlined processes, reducing goods clearance times and enhancing efficiency.

Moreover, the launch of the Xi'an Second-hand Car Export One-Stop Service Center this year introduced a novel business model integrating second-hand car exports with the China-Europe freight train, bonded zones, and tax refunds at departure ports, simplifying the export process.

In the first half of the year, Xi'an welcomed 31 new second-hand car export-qualified enterprises and saw the export of 1,735 vehicles, marking an 86-percent increase year-on-year. The export value reached $46.13 million, a 35 percent increase, helping to stabilize the city's foreign trade.