This aerial photo taken on Sept. 1, 2023 shows Chinese and Nepalese passengers walking across the China-Nepal Friendship Bridge at Zham port in Xigaze, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Li Jian)

LHASA, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Total foreign trade of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region expanded 72.5 percent year on year in the first eight months of the year, the regional government said Thursday.

In recent years, Tibet has made full use of its geographical advantages and policy resources to actively build an important channel for opening up to South Asia, and achieved positive results in expanding its opening up in a wider range and at a deeper level, according to a press conference at the Third China Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation.

In 2022, the total value of Tibet's foreign trade stood at 4.6 billion yuan (630 million U.S. dollars), an increase of 14.6 percent year on year, with its trading partners covering 95 countries and regions.

Since the resumption of two-way cargo customs clearance and personnel exchanges at the ports of Zham, Gyirong, and Burang, Tibet's foreign trade has continued to grow rapidly.

Tibet will step up construction of the bonded zone in Lhasa, as well as the development and opening-up of the pilot zone and border economic cooperation zone at Gyirong port, continue to improve port functions and customs clearance supervision models to improve customs clearance efficiency, and resume border trading markets, said the regional government.