The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the largest provincial-level region in China in terms of area, is taking steps to promote itself as the top international trade centre in Central Asia, said a senior local official yesterday in Beijing.

The local government is in discussions with Kazakhstan, which neighbours Xinjiang, about building an economic zone so as to further their economic and trade ties, said Zhang Zhou, vice-chairman of the region's government.

To attract more business people and investors to the region, which neighbours eight countries and has 17 foreign trade ports, the local government has held a foreign trade fair each year in Urumqi, the region's capital, for the past 13 years.

This year's fair will be held from September 1-5, said Zhang at a press conference.

He said the fair will have about 1,000 exhibition booths.

"By the end of last month, businesses from Russia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Iran and the regions of Hong Kong and Taiwan have bought 100 booths," said Zhang.