Xi'an planning to attract more Silk Road diplomats

Xi'an plans to become home to 40 consulates in the next five to eight years as it prepares to assume a key role in the proposed Silk Road Economic Belt.

The potential of the ambition of the Shaanxi province's capital city can be seen from the fact that at present it only hosts two diplomatic missions.

By comparison, Shanghai hosts 73 and Guangzhou hosts 49 missions.