URUMQI -- Is Xinjiang cotton taboo for international traders? For some, perhaps. However, the 9th China-Eurasia Expo, which ended on Monday, showed global buyers that the region's cotton and textile industry is remarkably vibrant and resilient.
Before entering the grand exhibition center in Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, I learned that the expo had set up a dedicated textile area where visitors could see the full industrial chain, from cotton seeds to finished cotton products like socks, bed sheets and shirts. Rows of cotton bolls were also used as decorations at the expo.
During the five-day event, official delegates from various countries, visiting buyers and Urumqi residents flocked to the textile zone. Cotton-themed displays were not confined to that area; they could be seen across many other halls.
In the New Quality Productive Forces and Artificial Intelligence section, I observed intelligent field-management robots that perform laser-based cotton topping, replacing manual labor.
Booths from various prefectures and cities across Xinjiang, especially those strong in cotton-related industries, also displayed giant cotton pickers and intelligent cotton field management robots.
