Market Profiles on Chinese Cities and Provinces
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12.2008

XINJIANG UYGUR AUTONOMOUS REGION

Major Economic Indicators

Economic Indicators

2006

2007

Value

Growth
(%, y-o-y)

Value

Growth
(%, y-o-y)

Gross Domestic Product (RMB bn)

304.5

11.0 1

352.3

12.2 1

Per Capita GDP

15,000

14.4 1

16,950

9.9 1

Added Value Output
- Primary industry (RMB bn)

52.8

5.7 1

62.9

7.1 1

- Secondary industry (RMB bn)

145.9

11.2 1

164.8

12.7 1

- Tertiary industry (RMB bn)

105.8

13.6 1

124.7

14.3 1

Value-added Industrial Output 2 (RMB bn)

116.0

30.6 1

140.0

15.2 1

Fixed-assets Investment (RMB bn)

156.7

15.9

185.1

18.1

Retail Sales (RMB bn)

72.8

14.1

84.8

16.5

Inflation (Consumer Price Index, %)

1.3

5.5

Exports (US$ mn)

7,011.0

40.4

11,503.1

61.1

- By FIEs (US$ mn)

142.6

4.3

216.0

51.5

Imports (US$ mn)

3,200.3

-3.3

2,213.1

12.7

- By FIEs (US$ mn)

39.8

-19.4

65.2

63.7

Utilized Foreign Direct Investment (US$ mn)

103.7

118.3

124.8

20.4

Notes: 1 In real terms 2 For all state-owned enterprises and other forms with annual sales over RMB 5 million
Sources: Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook 2008

General Background

Xinjiang is the largest autonomous region of China. It has a total area of 1,664,900 square kilometers. Total population stood at 21.0 million in 2007. It is located in the utmost northwestern part of China, closely connected in trade with Central Asia countries.

Xinjiang is China's largest growing base of cotton, lavander and hop. Lavender planting areas and production in Ili district both account for 90% of the nation's total. Besides, with the second largest pastureland, Xinjiang is one of the major sheep farming areas and fine-wool production base in China.

Xinjiang is rich in energy resources. It has the largest reserves of oil, natural gas and coal in the country. Its coal reserves account for 40% of the country's total. The oil and gas reserves found in Tarim, Junggar and Turpan-Hami basins in the region account for one-fourth and one-third of the country's total.

Xinjiang's reserves of mineral resources are great as well. There are more than 130 kinds of mineral deposits founded. The region's reserves of beryllium and mica are the highest in China. Some of the region's granite products such as "Xinjiang Red", "Tianshan White" and "Snowflower Black" are famous brands in the country. The country's largest copper mine is also located in Xinjiang.

As stated in Xinjiang's 11th Five-Year Plan, the Xinjiang government will accelerate the development of information, biotech, energy and environmental protection industries.

Industries

Xinjiang is a major agricultural base and primary industry still accounted for 17.8% of GDP in 2007. Sugar beet and fruits, of which, Yili apple, Korla pear, seedless white grape and Hami melon are famous at home and abroad.

Composition of GDP (%)

2000

2007

Primary

21.1

17.8

Secondary

39.5

46.8

...Industry

30.7

39.9

Tertiary

39.4

35.4

Source: Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook 2008

Karamay, Urumqi, Bayangol are the major industrial centers in Xinjiang, accounting for 70.5% of the total industrial output. Oil and petrochemicals, food and beverage, textiles, metallurgy, building materials, and electric power are the pillar industries of Xinjiang.

Output Share of Leading Industry Groups (2007)

% share of gross
industrial output #

Oil and natural gas extraction

34.1

Oil process, coke and nuclear fuel processing industry

22.0

Ferrous metal smelting and rolling process

7.1

Electric power and thermal production and supply

5.5

Textiles

4.1

Agricultural and side-line food process

3.8

Notes: For all state-owned enterprises and other forms with annual sales over RMB 5 million
Source: Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook 2008

Heavy industries form the fundamental part of Xinjiang's industrial development. In 2007, gross industrial output value of heavy industry grew by 19.7% to RMB285 billion, or 86.4% of the autonomous region's total industrial output.

In 2007, state-owned and state-holding enterprises still dominated Xingjiang's industrial production, but the private sector has been developing well in recent years. It is expected more private companies will be established in Xinjiang leverging on the region's natural resources.

Tourism

Xinjiang has abundant tourist resources, owning 56 categories of tourist resources, out of 68 categories of the whole nation. Well-known scenic and historical interests include Heavenly Lake, Bosteng Lake, ruins of Loulan and Gaochang Ancient City.

2007

% change

Number of domestic tourist (million)

21.3

28.3

Income generated (RMB bn)

19.3

29.5

Number of overseas tourist (thousand)

438.4

20.9

Foreign exchange income (US$ mn)

161.9

226.5

Source: Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook 2008

Foreign Trade

In 2007, major exports included tomato jam, casings, cotton yarn, shoes and TV sets etc. Major exports markets included Kazakhstan, Kirgizistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan and Russia.

Major imports included rolled steel, crude oil, oil products and fertilizers etc. Major imports sources were Kazakhstan, Russia and The US.

Border trade reached US$ 9.4 billion in 2007, accounting for 68.6% of the region's total trade. There are 16 ports open for border trade with neighboring countries.

In 2007, imports were mainly conducted by state-owned units, which accounted for 74.6% of the total, but private enterprises dominated exports with a share of 72.5%.

Foreign investment

FDI in Xinjiang

1979-2007

2007

No. of contracts

1,521

91

Contracted amount (US$ mn)

2,891

456.8

Utilised amount (US$ mn)

3,979

124.8

Source: Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook 2008

FDI in Xinjiang remains relatively low, owing to its sparse population and underdeveloped transport network. In 2007, Xinjiang's major investments came from Hong Kong (34.0% of the total utilized FDI), Commonwealth of Independent States (20.3%) and Australia (2.5%). The top 3 sectors which utilised the most foreign capital were: farming, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery; manufacturing; wholesale and retail trades.

To boost the development of the central and western regions in China, the State Council has granted further tax incentives to foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) in western China. From 2004, the tax rate can be reduced to 10% when an enterprise is proved to export more than 70% of its annual output in terms of value. Besides, the region's government also exempts the foreign investors from paying the 3% profit tax to the local government if the business has an operating period exceeds 10 years.

Consumer Market

In 2007, retail sales of consumer goods grew by 16.5% to RMB 84.8 billion and annual per capita disposal income of urban households reached RMB10,313.4 (+16.3%). Urumqi, the largest consumer center in the region, recorded RMB 18.4 billion retail sales of consumer goods in 2007, accounting for 61.7% of the region's total retail sales value.

Composition of Per Capita Expenditure of Urban Household (%)

2000

2007

Food

36.4

35.1

Clothing

13.1

15.3

Household articles

9.3

6.0

Medicine & medical services

7.5

7.6

Transportation & communications

7.5

11.3

Recreation, cultural & education

13.6

11.4

Housing & utilities

7.8

9.4

Source: Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook 2008

Major department stores and shopping centres in Xinjiang include Urumqi Tianshan Department Store, Urumqi Youhao Department Store, Xinjiang Department Store, Urumqi Pacific Department Store and Tulufan Department Store etc. Besides these indigenous retailers, foreign retailer Carrefour has also established in Xinjiang.

Economic Indicators of Major Cities (2007)

Cities

GDP
(RMB bn)

Per Capita GDP(RMB)

Industrial Output#
(RMB bn)

Retail Sales
(RMB bn)

Exports
(RMB mn)

Urumqi

82.0

31,140

97.0

32.2

3,451.3

Karamay

51.5

98,398

94.3

2.3

55.4

Ili

54.0

12,349

22.2

11.0

3,122.8

Bayangol

46.9

37,466

41.1

3.5

237.7

Changji

31.3

20,893

18.2

6.7

2,300.0

Notes: For all state-owned enterprises and other forms with annual sales over RMB 5 million
Source: Xinjiang Statistical Yearbook 2008