URUMQI -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region recorded more than 20 billion yuan (about $2.81 billion) in imports and exports in the first two months of this year, local authorities said Monday.

Xinjiang's export volume during the period reached 12.95 billion yuan, while its import volume soared to 7.08 billion yuan, up 38.5 percent year on year, according to the customs of Urumqi, the region's capital.

"Private enterprises still played a leading role in Xinjiang's foreign trade," said Wu Wei, the deputy director of Urumqi Customs. Xinjiang's private enterprises' foreign trade reached 14.06 billion yuan, accounting for 70.2 percent of Xinjiang's total foreign trade during the period, according to the customs.

In the first two months, Kazakhstan topped the list of Xinjiang's major trade partners, with trade volume between them growing by 29.1 percent to 10.83 billion yuan.

Wu said the customs has issued several favorable measures to help stabilize Xinjiang's foreign trade, support China-Europe freight train services and promote the development of comprehensive bonded areas.