The growth of Xinjiang's economy is accelerating. In 2024, Xinjiang's GDP reached 2.05 trillion yuan ($281 billion), an increase of 6.1 percent year on year, according to official figures. It took 42 years for the GDP of this expansive and resource-rich region to reach 100 billion yuan ($14 billion), another 20 years to reach 1 trillion yuan ($140 billion) and just another seven years to surpass 2 trillion yuan ($280 billion).

This acceleration is attributed to its dedication to diversifying its economic development. Major new drivers of growth for the region include the development of an ice and snow economy through winter sports and tourism, and the production of renewable energy and associated technologies.

Xinjiang still remains a major source of traditional energy. The region accounts for one sixth of China's land territory and is rich in oil, natural gas and coal. Industries centered around oil and gas production and the cleaner use of coal top the list of its priority industries for future expansion.

But as China's green transition gains momentum, Xinjiang's clean energy sector has thrived. The region's vast open spaces and favorable weather conditions make it ideal for wind and solar energy projects. The installed generation capacity of these projects across Xinjiang surpassed 100 gigawatts at the end of 2024, making new energy the region's largest source of electricity, replacing coal-fired power. Clean energy initiatives not only provide a more sustainable path for energy production but also offer new economic opportunities and job creation.

Agriculture also plays a vital role in Xinjiang's economy. The region is well-known for its production of cotton, accounting for more than 90 percent of China's total output. In recent years, efforts to modernize cotton farming through technological advancement and improved infrastructure have increased both yield and quality. Xinjiang is also a major producer of grain, fruit and livestock. Defying stereotypes of Xinjiang as a wholly arid desert region, agricultural scientists and entrepreneurs have been working together to establish a thriving aquaculture industry. Crabs, crayfish and rainbow trout grown in the region's rivers and lakes are becoming much-sought-after delicacies on dining tables across China. Moreover, greenhouses are sprouting up in the Gobi Desert, turning previously barren lands into agricultural parks producing fruit and vegetables.

While taking pride in these remarkable developments, Xinjiang continues to fight an uphill battle. Economic underdevelopment in its south, for one, poses a grave challenge. Compared to the relatively more prosperous northern areas, the prefectures lying south of the Tianshan Mountains, which bisect the region, lag in infrastructure, education and industrial development. This disparity is partly due to their geographic isolation. South Xinjiang is defined by its formidable natural landscapes, featuring the vast Taklimakan Desert, China's largest desert, alongside the rugged terrains of the Pamir Plateau. Energizing development there is at the top of Xinjiang's agenda to ensure balanced regional development.

Xinjiang, known as the Western Regions in ancient China, stands at the crossroads of millennia-old trade routes and modern economic and trade corridors. One of the cornerstone programs driving its growth is the Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013 with the aim of boosting connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. Xinjiang serves as a critical hub, linking China with Central Asia, Europe and beyond.

With strategic policies and investments that prioritize sustainable and inclusive growth as well as international engagement in place, Xinjiang will continue to transform its economy and improve the living standards of all people calling this diverse region home.