Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has for the first time imported about 260 tonnes of coal from Mongolia, according to local frontier station authority Wednesday.

        Xinjiang is expected to annually import more than 2 million tonnes of resources, mainly coal, from Mongolia through the Takixken port, which will help promote the border trade and the region's economic development, local officials said.

        In 2008, the import and export volume through the port, which is located in northeastern Xinjiang's Altay area, reached 250 million yuan (36.6 million U.S. dollars).

       The 260 tonnes of coal arrived in Xinjiang Monday.