Eurasia gathers in Urumqi: 49 countries, 3,000 companies and 140,000 sq m at the 9th China‑Eurasia Expo
First‑ever $100 billion trade between China and Central Asia, debut pavilions of UAE, South Korea, Russia and Thailand, 19 land ports through Xinjiang. The expo promises to be the largest in its 9‑year history.
As reported by CCTV+, on Thursday the 9th China‑Eurasia Expo opened in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China, an event promoting trade and investment cooperation between Asia and Europe. The five‑day expo brought together representatives from 49 countries, regions and international organisations, with 27 countries and regions setting up exhibition pavilions. More than 3,000 companies and institutions registered to participate.
This year, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Thailand are making their debut with national pavilions under the theme "New Silk Road Opportunities, New Vitality for Eurasia". Kazakhstan and Pakistan have been named guests of honour. The total exhibition area is 140,000 square metres, including six specialised zones dedicated to investment cooperation, new high‑quality productive forces, specialised industries, green development, culture and tourism, and Silk Road cooperation.
Xinjiang enjoys a unique geographical advantage, connecting eight countries through 19 state‑approved land ports, laying a solid foundation for cross‑border exchanges and cooperation. The China‑Eurasia Expo, transformed in 2010 from the former Urumqi Foreign Economic and Trade Fair, has grown into a large‑scale national‑level international exhibition co‑hosted by the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Xinjiang regional government.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, total goods trade between China and Central Asian countries exceeded $100 billion for the first time in 2025. China also became the largest trading partner and the main source of investment for Central Asian countries.
The China‑Eurasia Expo has been held since 2010, with its predecessor — the Urumqi Fair — dating back to the 1990s. In 2026, the expo brought together 49 participating countries for the first time. 140,000 square metres is roughly the size of 20 football pitches. The 19 land ports through Xinjiang make the region a key link in the overland Silk Road. The first $100 billion trade milestone with Central Asia shows that Eurasian integration is becoming a reality, not just a slogan.
When delegates from 49 countries gather in Urumqi, and trade with Central Asia crosses the $100 billion mark for the first time, it becomes clear: Eurasia is no longer just a geographical concept. It is an economic space where the Silk Road is finding new life. Xinjiang, once seen as a periphery, is now becoming a crossroads of continents. The 19 land gates open to eight countries are not just numbers. They are bridges over which goods, investment and ideas flow. And when business people from Korea, Russia, the UAE and Thailand meet in the exhibition halls, they prove that borders do not divide — they connect. As long as there is a will to trade, not to fight.
