Bakhtu Port

Bakhtu Port

Heading west out of Tacheng city center along the straight and wide port highway for 12 kilometers, you’ll arrive at the China-Kazakhstan border port of Bakhtu. It is the border port closest to an urban area in Xinjiang. To the east, it connects with Tacheng city center, and to the west, it lies 60 kilometers from Makanchi Town in Kazakhstan. The open, flat grassland is dotted with blossoms, distant green mountains stretch into the distance, and the silhouettes of villages on both banks are faintly visible—quiet and serene.

Because it is located near the city suburbs, the buildings at Bakhtu Port are few but well-designed. The imposing and solemn national gate outpost, the modern joint inspection hall that is spacious and bright, and the queues of vehicles on the five freight channels all contribute to a scene that is busy yet orderly.

As a road port, Bakhtu has a history of over 200 years. As early as the late 18th century, barter trade began between border residents of China and Russia. In 1851, the "Sino-Russian Trade Regulations of Ili and Tarbagatai" was signed, marking the beginning of official trade between the two countries. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, as an important trade window between China and the Soviet Union, Bakhtu Port flourished for a time until it was closed in 1963 due to historical reasons. In 1990, the port reopened. In March 1994, it was upgraded to a national first-class port. In July 1995, it officially opened to third countries, once again becoming a golden corridor for China’s international trade.

Bakhtu Port enjoys convenient transportation. The port itself is the starting point of National Highway 217. From here, you can travel to various parts of Xinjiang, and via Ürümqi, reach other provinces and regions in China. There is also an airport with scheduled flights. Kazakhstan’s Urzhar Airport is just over 110 kilometers away. Traveling 250 kilometers west out of the port brings you to the Trans-CIS Tu-Xi Railway hub—the Ayagoz Railway Station in Kazakhstan. Its superior commercial connectivity makes Bakhtu Port currently the most convenient port in China connecting Russia and Central Asian countries, earning it the titles “Gateway to Junggar” and “Trade Corridor to Central Asia.”