Ulastay Port is located in Qitay County, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture. It is 248 kilometers from the Qitay county seat, 485 kilometers from Changji City and 440 kilometers from Urumqi. The port borders Bulwan County, Hovd Aymag (Province) of Mongolia. It is only 6.5 kilometers from Beitage Port of Mongolia and 300 kilometers from Hovd City.

On June 24, 1991, the Chinese and Mongolian governments agreed to open the port for cross-border trade. Its annual handling capacity is 30,000 tons of cargo and 10,000 passengers.

Ulastay is a seasonal port. The frost-free season each year lasts only 120 days, with low temperatures falling to minus 38 degrees Celsius in winter, with heavy snow. The port opens from the 1st through the 15th of March, June, August and November.

A management committee was established on June 15, 1992. Facilities for customs, border checkpoint, entry and exit inspection, quarantine, transport and border police are in place. Customs and inspection and quarantine staff are sent to the port during operating periods.

The Ulastay Port has marked 2.7 hectares for future development, where office, warehousing, commerce and service and development facilities will be established. At present, 2,313 square meters of housing, 1,600 square meters of transport management yards and a trading market have been set up.

Since its formal opening in 1995, 59,000 passengers, 18,000 vehicles and 41,000 tons of cargo have passed through the port. In 2002, passengers numbered 9,700; vehicles, 3,000; and cargo, 306 tons.

(China.org.cn December 15, 2004)