In the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 19 ports recorded more than 2.4 million cross-border trips and 946,000 vehicles, trains, and aircraft in the first half of 2026. This increase was fueled by surging self-driving and inbound tourism, marking a 33.2% surge from the previous year. Visa-free foreign arrivals jumped 38%, tourist entries rose 20%, and cargo throughput grew 25%, with rail ports ranking first nationwide. Urumqi Tianshan International Airport handled nearly 34% of China–Central Asia passenger flights, cementing Xinjiang as a key westward gateway.