Shaanxi, an inland province in Northwest China, is busy preparing to apply to be part of a third batch of free trade areas in China, in order to play a more important role in the Belt and Road initiative.

As part of the effort, Shaanxi Xixian Bonded Logistics Center (first phase construction) easily met the acceptance criteria of the relevant ministries and bureaus last month. The center is the only special customs supervision zone to serve the international aviation logistics hub in Shaanxi as well as Northwest China, meeting the bonded logistics needs of aviation logistics, international trade, financial exhibitions, cross-border electricity suppliers and other related businesses.

"The bonded logistics center in Xixian New Area, a national-level urban development zone approved to be built by the State Council, can make full use of the national strategy of the Belt and Road initiative to build itself a cargo distribution center along the Silk Road economic belt and international aviation logistics hub in West China," said He Jian, deputy director of Xixian New Area's administrative committee and director of the area's Airport New Town.

He said that the bonded center is an important carrier of the free trade zone and the operation of Xixian Bonded Logistics Center is extraordinarily significant to the improvement of Shaanxi's aviation transport system, opening channels to Central Asian countries and exploring the possibility of an inland free trade zone.

The center is located next to the Xi'an Xianyang International Airport in Airport New Town's international logistics hub area which has an area of about 0.36 sq km, including a warehousing distribution area, cross-border electric commerce area, bonded exhibition area and international trade and financial service area with the functions of E-commerce, bonded logistics, bonded warehousing, import and export trade and transit trade.

In May, Airport New Town signed the strategic cooperation framework agreement with Alibaba, the largest E-commerce company in China for cross-border export and import business and overseas direct mail business.

According to Zou Zhanye, chairman of the board of China West Airport Group, Xi'an Xianyang International Airport plans to open the air routes linking Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province with Bishkek, Astana and Tashkent, the capitals of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Alma-Ata, the largest city of Kazakhstan, to connect the major cities along the Silk Road economic belt.