A delegation of the Xinjiang Uygur Regional Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) wrapped up its visit to Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

The delegation led by Ashat Kerimbay, chairman of the committee, visited the customs post at Horgos on the border of Xinjiang and Kazakhstan and held talks with officials from Kazakhstan's industry, trade and transportation departments during the visit that started Friday.

It reached agreements with the Kazakh side on the operation of the China-Kazakhstan Horgos International Border Cooperation Center and cooperation in trade and cross-border transportation as well as customs construction.

The accumulated trade between Xinjiang and Kazakhstan since the country became independent 17 years ago has reached 37.3 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 39 percent year-on-year on average.

Their trade topped 7.18 billion dollars in the first nine months of this year, accounting for 54 percent of the trade volume between China and Kazakhstan and 45 percent of the foreign trade of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2008)