From January to June, the Ningxia Hui autonomous region recorded a double-digit increase in the export of its agricultural produce.

In the first half of this year, the export of the agricultural products cultivated in Ningxia -- such as potatoes, goji berries, fruit juice and cool-weather vegetables -- reached 11.9 billion yuan ($167 million), a 14 percent year-on-year increase. The sharp rise in sales of cool-weather vegetables has effectively expanded the channels and scale of exports, opening up new opportunities for economic and trade cooperation between China and Arab countries.

In recent years, Ningxia has invited Arab enterprises to connect with the Ningxia market multiple times. "From Yinchuan to Dubai, it only takes half a day for the product to reach the dining tables of consumers," said a leading executive of Ningxia Xingyuntian Modern Agriculture Development Co., Ltd., which is the first enterprise in Ningxia to supply cool-weather vegetables in bulk directly from Yinchuan Hedong International Airport to Dubai. So far, it has exported cool-weather vegetables worth nearly 1 million yuan.

The United Arab Emirates is an important Middle Eastern export destination for China. The direct flight route from Yinchuan to Dubai that opened in 2015 has not only facilitated the air connection between Yinchuan and Dubai, but also enhanced economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between the northwestern provinces of China and the Middle East.

This year, Ningxia continues to focus on key areas such as clean energy, digital economy and modern agriculture, thereby deepening economic and trade cooperation with Arab countries. Up to now, the trade volume between Ningxia and Arab countries reached 190 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.5 percent.