Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region will open its second border trade market to Kazakhstan starting from March 1, a regional trade official has said.

The Jeminay Border Trade Zone bordering Kazakhstan covers 105,000 square meters in Altay Prefecture and can accommodate 10,000 merchants and 3,000 tons of cargo. Its annual transaction is expected to top 100 million yuan (US$12.5 million).

According to the agreement between the foreign ministries of China and Kazakhstan, Kazak businessmen holding a valid passport and health certificate do not have to apply for a visa for a one-day, duty-free shopping tour to the border zone through a special passageway.

The Jeminay Border Trade Zone, which allows general trade, transit trade as well as border trade, is second only to the Horgos Port in Xinjiang. It is 624 kilometers from Xinjiang's regional capital Urumqi and 1,100 kilometers from Kazakhstan's capital Astana.

Xinjiang, which covers an area of more than 1.6 million square km, makes up one-sixth of China's territory and shares 5,600 km of borders with Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. The region has opened up 16 land ports to foreign tourists and business people.

(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2006)