XINING — The first comprehensive bonded zone on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was put into use on Jan 16 in Xining, capital of Northwest China's Qinghai province.

Two container trucks carrying precision equipment imported from Canada entered the Xining comprehensive bonded zone on the morning of Jan 16 under the supervision of Xining Customs, marking the zone's launch of operations.

Covering 92.4 hectares, the zone has so far seen the settlement of five companies.

The establishment of the zone, which was ratified by China's State Council in December 2019, is important to promote the development of an open economy in Qinghai province, local authorities said.

The province is located at the crossroads of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Silk Road Economic Belt, and serves as an important reserve of strategic resources and base of characteristic agricultural products in China.