Qiang Xiaoan, director of the Xi'an International Trade and Logistics Park (ITL) in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, and deputy of the Shaanxi Provincial People's Congress attended the Second Session of the 12th Shaanxi Provincial People's Congress held in Xi'an from Jan 13 to 19.

Qiang proposed at the conference to establish a free trade zone for the Silk Road economic belt. He said that the ITL exceeded the goals assigned by the Xi'an Municipal People's Government last year, and is considered to be the most successful of the municipal development zones in Xi'an.

The ITL realized its 2013 fiscal revenue target half a year ahead of schedule, and ranked the first on the fiscal revenue growth among all development zones in Xi'an for four successive years.

Qiang also gave a presentation of the major achievements of the park during the past year, such as the fact that the Xi'an Comprehensive Bonded Zone in the ITL started its customs closure operation on Dec 23, and became the first comprehensive bonded zone that implemented customs closure in Northeast China.

Qiang Xiaoan, director of the Xi'an International Trade and Logistics Park (ITL) in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, and deputy of the Shaanxi Provincial People's Congress[Photo/China Daily]

On Nov 28, the Chang'an international cargo train from Xi'an to Alma-Ata started operation, creating a sound basis for the construction of the Silk Road economic belt. Two Chang'an cargo trains will travel on the route each month in the first half of 2014, and three trains will make the journey every month from the second half of the year, Qiang said.

In addition, China South City in Xi'an, a large-scale integrated logistics and trade center, was inaugurated on Oct 18, and Huasheng Outlets and a Spring Festival Carnival, co-organized by China South City and the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC), opened on Dec 21. A total of 800,000 people attended the carnival.

The ITL also attracted three Fortune Global 500 enterprises in 2013 - Nippon Express, BASF, and Yanchang Petroleum Ltd - and urban-rural overall development also progressed, with projects including the construction of the Xi'an Technological University Land Port International School, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University and the Land Port Memorial Park.

The "opening to the west" policy and the construction of the Silk Road economic belt also achieved good results, and the ITL held activities such as the forum on China inland port and opening to the west strategy and the sub-forum on 2013 Eurasia Continental Bridge logistics cooperation of the Euro-Asia Economic Forum.

Qiang added that this year the ITL will focus on the construction of the Silk Road economic belt, and two parks - the China-Central Asia Economic Cooperation Park, World Famous Brand Park - and two cities - Italy City and France City. It will also aim to construct four centers - the China-Central Asia Energy Commodities Exchange Center, China-Central Asia Land Port Service Center, China-Central Asia Commodities Exchange Center and China-Central Asia Agricultural Products Distribution Trade Center.

The ITL will also accelerate the completion of ten major projects, concerning BASF, Hedu Textile and a northwest modern medicine logistics center, so as to make a greater contribution to the development of Shaanxi province and the city of Xi'an.?