A 22.1-km tunnel under construction in Xinjiang will run through the Tianshan Mountains, significantly reducing travel time between the region's two most populous cities.
Tianshan Shengli Expressway Tunnel under construction. Photo: Weibo
China is building the world's longest highway tunnel, a project that will cut through one of the longest mountain ranges on the planet, opening up multiple trade routes between the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Central Asia, CGTN reported on December 1.
As an essential part of the Wulumoqi-Weili Expressway, the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel will serve as a key link between the northern and southern halves of the region. When it opens to traffic in late October 2023, it will reduce travel time across the Tianshan Mountains by about 20 minutes, and shorten the journey from the capital Wulumoqi to Korle, the region’s two most populous cities, from more than seven hours to about three hours.
The tunnel, which is expected to be 22.1 kilometers long when completed, will be the longest expressway tunnel under construction. Its completion will certainly benefit economic growth and trade in the underdeveloped region of Xinjiang, according to economist Xu Tianchen. Xinjiang will become an increasingly important lever, both as a final market and a transit point, with several ongoing infrastructure projects to enhance connectivity, including the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.
China is trying to capitalize on Xinjiang’s unique geographical advantages, such as its shared borders with eight countries, including Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan, the centerpiece of its Belt and Road Initiative. Improving transportation networks will help strengthen Xinjiang’s infrastructure links with Central Asia, according to Peng Peng, executive chairman of the Guangdong Reform Association.
Xinjiang also announced plans for a free trade hub earlier this month. The pilot scheme will be implemented in three locations – Kashgar, Huorguos and Urumqi – and could last five years before Xinjiang is formally designated a free trade zone.
An Khang (According to SCMP )
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