China builds the world's longest highway tunnel

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 — 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 Wulingmuqi-Weili Expressway, the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel will serve as a key transport 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 Wulingmuqi to Korle, the two most populous cities in the region, from more than seven hours to about three hours.

The tunnel, which is expected to be 22.1 km long when completed, will be the longest high-speed tunnel under construction. Its completion will undoubtedly 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 infrastructure development projects underway to enhance connectivity, including the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbek 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 officially designated a free trade zone.

An Khang (According to SCMP )

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