Shaanxi FTZ Highlights Three Free Trade Sectors to Build a Reform and Opening-Up Hub

Established on April 1, 2017, the China (Shaanxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone (Shaanxi FTZ) stands as the only pilot free trade zone in northwest China. Anchored in institutional innovation, the Shaanxi FTZ aims to serve as a comprehensive testing ground for reform and opening-up, a new hub for inland reform and opening-up, and a vital driving force for economic cooperation and cultural exchange under the Belt and Road Initiative.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the Shaanxi FTZ leverages its strategic location, abundant resources, and strong industrial base. Guided by the principle of highlighting priorities while advancing overall progress, the FTZ focuses on promoting three free trade sectors—Silk Road FTZ, sci-tech FTZ, and agricultural FTZ—to advance full-chain innovation, deepen comprehensive reform, and expand region-wide openness.

The Shaanxi FTZ prioritizes customs clearance, transportation, financing, and rail services. It has introduced over 20 pioneering reform measures, including the “release after inspection” policy, reducing export customs clearance time at land ports by 50 percent and lowering comprehensive transportation costs by more than 15 percent. To develop a new starting point for the Air Silk Road, the FTZ has launched a series of facilitation measures such as two-step declaration and 24/7 customs clearance, along with an intelligent supervision platform for air transport logistics, increasing overall customs clearance efficiency for enterprises by more than 30 percent.

The Shaanxi FTZ is also taking the lead in the commercialization of sci-tech achievements. It has established a patent pre-application evaluation system and launched China’s first proof-of-concept center for technology transfer. The FTZ has pioneered new mechanisms for the commercialization of university research achievements and introduced an innovative bill financing model for sci-tech enterprises, creating a seamless pathway from R&D to commercialization. In 2024, Shaanxi Province’s technical contract turnover exceeded CNY 412 billion, earning the FTZ recognition as one of the fifth batch of “Best Practice Cases” among China’s pilot free trade zones.

In the Yangling Area of the Shaanxi FTZ, 14 overseas agricultural sci-tech demonstration parks have been established in countries such as Kazakhstan, completing comparative trials of over 110 high-quality crop varieties and showcasing integrated demonstrations of efficient cultivation technologies. Leveraging the China Railway Express, the FTZ has developed a new mode of bulk grain transportation and initially formed a full industrial chain for agricultural production and marketing, encompassing overseas planting and primary processing, as well as domestic deep processing and distribution.