Ablat Abdurishit said that Xinjiang has laid a solid foundation to open its doors to the outside world.

He said Xinjiang contains geological advantages to accelerate its opening-up process. It shares 5,600 kilometres of border lines with eight countries. To date, it has opened 15 ports to launch trading with neighbouring countries.

The Euro-Asia Continental Bridge, a railway from coastal China's Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province to the Netherlands' Rotterdam, has played a more active role in promoting Xinjiang's foreign trade since its official operation in 1992. The 10,900-kilometre international railway passes through Xinjiang from east to west.

The railway handled a total of 3.5 million tons of cargo through Xinjiang's border in 1999, a major increase from previous years, Abdurishit said.

The chairman mentioned the Xinjiang section of the railway has great potential to raise its handling capacity in the future.

The Southern Xinjiang Railway, from its eastern city Turpan to the southwestern city of Kashi, was officially opened to traffic last year. The railway is to be extended to link the Uygur region with central Asian countries, the chairman said.

To date, Xinjiang has opened a dozen airports and launched six international airlines as well as more than 40 domestic airlines, he noted.

Because of Xinjiang's improved infrastructures, the chairman said domestic and foreign investors would benefit from oil, gas, gold and copper exploration.

Xinjiang is also determined to boost its tourism sector by protecting its marvelous natural scenery and promoting the various cultures and customs of local ethnic minorities as well as relics of the ancient Silk Road, he said.

Xinjiang also plans to increase the water levels in the half-dry Tarim River and some desert lakes, he said.

(China Daily)