Published by: THE WORLD UYGHUR NETWORK NEWS November 14, 1997

11/04/97, Urumqi Xinjiang Ribao, FBIS Translated Text

With the five-star red flag fluttering in the skies, the Korgus ethnic trade market is permeated with a dynamic atmosphere. In the spacious parking lot on the Kazak side, over 30 20-tonne Kamas heavy-duty trucks are continuously "devouring" one after another cargo of goods; porters are pushing and moving carts around quickly; stevedores are working in tandem loading and unloading freight; the customs and commercial inspection personnel are busying themselves examining goods and signing bills.

These are the scenes that this reporter has witnessed at the Korgas Trade Port in Huocheng County. According to director An Jianzhong of the market management department, the current daily transactions average 2.5 million yuan, with the largest daily record of 5 million yuan. The total volume of transactions in the first nine months of this year already reached 420 million yuan, exceeding the total amount for last year. The accumulated trade volume of the past five years

since the market's founding was over 1.2 billion yuan; and some 25 million yuan in taxes has been delivered to the state.

Currently the market's annual economic efficiency is top among markets of the same kind in China. It is understood that commodities traded in the market consist of more than 2,000 varieties in eight categories, including shoes and hats, garments, articles for daily use, foods, and farm and sideline products.

They come from over 1,000 enterprises in various parts of the country, except for Taiwan and Tibet. The development and prosperity of the market had a significant, positive impact on the economic and social development of Huocheng County and Ili Prefecture.

Aikebaier, director of the Huocheng county party committee's propaganda department, summed up the market's role in the following four aspects:

1) It has given strong support to the local financial budget. The market has delivered more than 10 million yuan to Huocheng County annually, which accounts for one-sixth of the county's annual financial revenues.

2) It has spurred the local tertiary industries and opened up ways leading to prosperity for farmers, herdsmen, and Production and Construction Corps farm workers. Since the beginning of this year, some 800 people have been engaged in labor and service work daily in the market.

3) It has increased the local people's market awareness and trained many successful managers.

4) It has absorbed a number of laid-off workers and idle personnel to the benefit of social stability.