Leading textile and apparel producers in China have been transferring their business to Xinjiang, making the far northwest region a thriving textile and garment producer. Following the China-proposed ‘Belt and Road’ initiative and regional economic development, Xinjiang, which borders eight countries and boasts 29 national ports, has grown into a trading hub for garments, shoes, and daily necessities.

Xinjiang produces China’s best cotton, and more of it than any other region. Xinjiang’s cotton harvest reached 3.5 million tons, about 60 per cent of China’s total output, in 2015. Textile and garment exports to Central Asia and Russia via ports in the Xinjiang Uygur region have increased by more than 60 per cent from the same period last year. About 70 per cent of exports went to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, with the former ranking first. China plans to build Xinjiang into a major textile base by 2020 to facilitate exports to its western neighbors.

China has long been a top textile manufacturer for the world market. The country exported 2.5 billion dollars worth of textiles and garments through ports in Xinjiang. The plan is to bolster the textile and garment industry in Xinjiang in the hopes of increasing local employment and exports.