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Customs staff check the container at Alashankou port in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 6, 2019. A total of 8.545 tonnes of frozen beef have passed inspection and quarantine in Alashankou, a border port in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, making the inland port the region's first to import frozen beef products from Europe, local customs said Monday. The products included beef shank, beef brisket and oyster blade steak, and were imported from Belarus via a China-Europe cargo train. The beef will be sent to designated storage sites before reaching customers all over the country. (Xinhua/Li Wen)

URUMQI, June 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 8.545 tonnes of frozen beef have passed inspection and quarantine in Alashankou, a border port in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, making the inland port the region's first to import frozen beef products from Europe, local customs said Monday.

The products included beef shank, beef brisket and oyster blade steak, and were imported from Belarus via a China-Europe cargo train. The beef will be sent to designated storage sites before reaching customers all over the country.

Meat businesses in Europe and Central Asia are bullish on the Chinese market and have been taking advantage of the China-Europe rail services to reduce the cost and time of cross-border delivery in recent years. "Beef from Kazakhstan has gained permission to enter China in May," said He Yining with local customs.

Alashankou is among the seven designated ports for imported meat in Xinjiang. Over 18 million tonnes of goods passed through the port in 2018, with a total value of 77.9 billion yuan (11.3 billion U.S. dollars), up 8.9 percent and 7.3 percent respectively.