(Yicai Global) May 17 -- New energy vehicles, fruits, and vegetables are among the most popular goods exported from China to Central Asia through Horgos, a port city in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at the border between China and Kazakhstan.

Chinese commercial cars, especially NEVs, are highly recognized in Central Asian countries, Guo Zilong, deputy director general of Horgos Economic Development Zone's port management bureau, told Yicai Global. Large win-power equipment, general merchandise, and fresh fruits and vegetables are also very popular, Guo noted.

The trade value between China and five Central Asian countries achieved the USD70 billion target last year. In the first quarter, the figure soared 22 percent from a year earlier, showing a strong development momentum.

Horgos' port recently extended its customs clearance period to 12 hours per day, from 10.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m., seven days a week, to increase clearance volume, Guo said, adding that under special circumstances, the clearance period can be prolonged to 2.00 a.m.

In the first four months of the year, the port cleared 209,000 commercial vehicles for export, up over 62 percent from a year earlier, according to data from Horgos' entry-exit border checkpoint.

The number of companies engaged in cross-border auto trade business in Horgos has soared to over 40 from just a few in recent years.

Chinese fruits and vegetables exported to Central Asia are mostly apples and tomatoes, with peppers being the top vegetable exported to Russia, Xiang Yang, vice general manager at an international trade firm in Horgos, told Yicai Global. The company expects to export between 80,000 tons and 100,000 tons of fruits and vegetables a year, Xiang added.

Fruits and vegetables leave Horgos in the morning and arrive in Almaty, Kazakhstan, at night thanks to a "green channel," Xiang noted. Products heading to Russia take five to six days, seven at most, to arrive at their destination.

Last year, China imported over 50 percent more agricultural, energy, and mineral products from Central Asia countries than in 2021, with exports of mechanical and electrical products up 42 percent in the period.

Moreover, the cross-border e-commerce trade between China and Central Asia nearly doubled last year from the previous one, with over 300 companies from Central Asia opening stores on China's e-commerce platforms, bringing more and more high-quality and traditional local products to the Chinese market.

Editors: Shi Yi, Futura Costaglione