The 2025 Xinjiang Tacheng Baktu Forum opened on Tuesday, bringing together government representatives, businesses, and experts from China, Kazakhstan, Russia, and other countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Themed around promoting development through opening-up and creating a future that benefits all, the forum focused on deepening cross-border cooperation in trade, industry, and technology while enhancing cultural exchanges.

Located on China's border with Kazakhstan, Tacheng is a gateway for China's westward opening. Its Baktu Port was a historic hub on the ancient Silk Road.

According to Zhi Xianwei, secretary of Tacheng's prefectural committee, the port now handles 3 million metric tons of cargo and facilitates 500,000 border crossings annually.

The forum also highlighted multilateral cooperation in infrastructure and logistics. Representatives from Kazakhstan and Russia discussed ongoing projects, such as the Baktu-Ayaguz Railway, which is set to boost transport capacity by 25 million tons by 2027. Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia proposed a "twin hub" logistics model to improve freight connectivity with the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, while exploring collaboration in green energy and hydrogen technology.

The event led to the signing of 30 cooperation agreements worth a combined 13.1 billion yuan ($1.8 billion), covering cross-border tourism, new materials, and automotive assembly. Additionally, four thematic seminars were held, which addressed opportunities in e-commerce, logistics, cultural tourism, and institutional innovation.

Tacheng aims to develop its cross-border economic cooperation zone further and strengthen its role as a bridge for regional connectivity and economic integration. As the Baktu Forum becomes an annual event, it will continue to serve as a key platform for deepening cooperation among BRI partner countries.