The 15th Kashgar-Central and South Asia Commodity Fair opened on August 15 at the Kashgar International Convention and Exhibition Center in Xinjiang, China, under the theme “Mutual Connectivity, Assistance, and Benefit; Collaborative Building and Shared Prosperity.” The five-day event attracted 181 overseas enterprises from 40 countries and regions, along with 1,120 Chinese companies, reinforcing Kashgar's rising importance as a trade hub along the Silk Road Economic Belt.

Xinjiang Vice Chairman and Kashgar Party Secretary Nie Zhuang highlighted the city's strategic location as a core Silk Road node, noting its “five border crossings connecting eight countries, and a route linking Eurasia.” Nie emphasized Kashgar's multiple international platforms, including the Free Trade Pilot Zone and comprehensive bonded zones, calling on participants to deepen strategic alignment, enhance policy and infrastructure connectivity, and promote trade, financial, and people-to-people exchanges.

The fair focused on high-value sectors such as digital technologies, clean energy, and agricultural products. Its layout featured three main exhibition zones—investment cooperation, international trade, and domestic trade—complemented by ten sector-specific matchmaking meetings, an investment promotion conference, and multiple trade facilitation events. These initiatives offered participants direct access to partnership opportunities and emerging market insights.

Bilateral engagement was a highlight of the fair. Chinese and Kyrgyz companies signed ten cooperation agreements across logistics, energy, agriculture, and other priority sectors during a Kyrgyzstan-themed segment. Guo Yongchang, Party Secretary of the Kashgar Federation of Industry and Commerce, cited Kyrgyzstan’s role as a pivotal Belt and Road partner and noted robust trade growth: in the first half of 2025, Kashgar’s trade volume with Kyrgyzstan reached 16.28 billion yuan (approximately 2.28 billion U.S. dollars).

Guo also pointed out growing interest among Kashgar's private enterprises in overseas investment, particularly in green mining, hospitality, retail, and modern agriculture. He emphasized significant potential in clean energy collaboration, combining Kyrgyzstan's renewable energy initiatives with China's technological, investment, and manufacturing capabilities. Kyrgyz representatives praised Kashgar's emergence as an international logistics hub, anticipating deeper bilateral cooperation.

As a high-profile Belt and Road platform, the Kashgar Commodity Fair has become a key gateway for trade and investment between China, Central Asia, and South Asia. By facilitating strategic dialogues, commercial matchmaking, and formal agreements, it provides actionable insights and opportunities for global investors, trade professionals, and multinational corporations seeking engagement in this rapidly evolving region.

With its combination of policy support, sector-specific innovation, and international participation, the 15th Kashgar Commodity Fair underscores the region's potential as a vibrant trade corridor, offering foreign businesses practical avenues to tap into Central and South Asia's growth markets.