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While the volume of goods and number of trains crossing back and forth over the China-Kazakhstan border in Horgos, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, continue to break records, passenger crossings are also on the increase, border officials said.

据边境官员称，在新疆维吾尔自治区霍尔果斯市，中哈边境的货物运输量和列车数量不断创下新高的同时，过境旅客人数也在不断增加。

According to the Xinjiang Exit-Entry Border Inspection Station in Horgos, a record high of some 280,000 crossings have been made at the border during the first quarter of this year, a 30 percent year-on-year increase.

据新疆霍尔果斯出入境边防检查站统计，今年第一季度，该边境口岸过境旅客约28万人次，同比增长30%，创历史新高。

The number of people crossing the border has significantly increased after the agreement on mutual visa exemption between China and Kazakhstan went into force on Nov 10, 2023, said Fu Ruichao, a border inspection officer.

边防检查站官员符睿超表示，自2023年11月10日中哈互免签证协定生效以来，过境旅客人数大幅增加。

"Before the agreement took effect, we would normally see 20 buses taking passengers to the Chinese border every day. Now, the number is between 50 and 60, which means the number of passengers has also surged," Fu said.

“协定生效前，我们每天通常能看到20辆大巴将旅客送往中国边境。现在，每天有50到60辆，这意味着旅客数量也大幅增加。”符睿超说。

Chinese and Kazakh citizens have been granted visa-free access to each other's country for no more than 30 days for a single crossing, and are allowed to stay in the other country for a cumulative total of 90 days within 180 days.

中国和哈萨克斯坦公民已享受互免签证待遇，单次入境停留不超过30天，180天内在对方国家累计停留不超过90天。

"We've seen an obvious increase in the number of Chinese tourists making trips to Central Asian countries, foreign traders, people who seek advanced medical treatments in China and foreign students," Fu said.

符睿超表示：“我们发现前往中亚国家的中国游客、外国贸易商、来华就医的人员以及留学生数量明显增加。”

Another visa-free agreement between China and Uzbekistan came into effect on June 1, Fu said, adding that he exp