Horgas, the ancient Central Asian port city, has a history dating back more than 130 years. Now, the Belt and Road Initiative has breathed new life into the area, with fast-emerging trade corridors, infrastructure networks, and a major cooperation center. CGTN's David Deen explains.

Masselbek Akzhan is a recent college graduate from Kazakhstan. She works for CHENGSE E-COMMERCE, a Chinese company in the Horgos Border International Cooperation Center. The company produces TV shopping programs to sell online Chinese products to consumers in Kazakhstan. Masselbek works as a TV shopping program host.

MASSELBEK AKZHAN, HOST CHENGSE E-COMMERCE "I chose to learn Chinese in college because it's easier to find a job in Kazakhstan if you can speak Chinese. The company came to my school's job fair and hired me. I have a few classmates who came with me to this company. We wanted to try trans-border e-commerce for ourselves."

Under the Belt and Road Initiative, more Chinese people are looking into cross-border business opportunities to explore the giant potential market of Central Asia. And people in Central Asian countries, such as Masselbek and her friends, are searching within China.

MASSELBEK AKZHAN, HOST CHENGSE E-COMMERCE "I'm going to Zhejiang University for postgraduate study in September. I got a full scholarship and they're covering housing and meals. I hope to do something that relates to both China and Kazakhstan, inter-country stuff."

Since it opened in April 2012, the Horgos Border International Cooperation Center has attracted investments of over 4.4 billion U.S. dollars. Everyone who works in the center spots the opportunities this new Belt-and-Road city provides for companies and individuals, in not just Kazakhstan, but all countries involved.

BAHARGUL TURSUN, MERCHANT HORGOS BORDER INT'L COOPERATION CENTER "I started in the foreign trade business in 2007 because I was laid off. I learned Russian and moved to Horgos. We moved into the center with many of our friends in 2014. They are all doing business here. Most of our regular customers are from abroad. I speak Russian, Kazakh, and Uyghur. I learned that all at work, just through interacting with different customers. So does my son. He helps me here."

ALMAS TAHIR TURSUN'S SON "We definitely have more customers here than before. I started helping my mom since I was 13. That's all I remember, helping her with the business. I didn't even understand the exchange rate. Just took however much money the customers gave to me. I got scolded by my mom a lot. Now it's fine. It's definitely a family business now."

The Horgos Border International Cooperation Center has already attracted more than 3,000 businesses, from major companies to small family operations. The city lies in a very remote part of Central Asia. But its location along the Belt and Road is turning this nowhere into somewhere and making dreams come true for many, including Masselbek and Almas. David Deen, CGTN, Horgos.