China is building the world's longest high-speed tunnel.

A 22.1-kilometer tunnel currently under construction in Xinjiang will run through the Tianshan Mountains, significantly shortening travel time between the region's two most populous cities.

The Tianshan Shengli Expressway tunnel is currently under construction. Photo: Weibo

China is building the world's longest high-speed tunnel, a project that will traverse one of the planet's longest mountain ranges, opening up numerous trade routes between the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Central Asia, CGTN reported on December 1.

As an essential part of the Urumqi-Weili Expressway, the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel will serve as a key transportation link between the northern and southern halves of the region. Upon its opening at the end of October 2023, the tunnel will reduce travel time through the Tianshan Mountains by approximately 20 minutes, and shorten the journey time from Urumqi, the capital, to Kunla, the two most populous cities in the region, from over 7 hours to approximately 3 hours.

The tunnel, expected to be 22.1 km long upon completion, will be the longest highway tunnel currently under construction. Its completion is sure to benefit economic and trade growth in the underdeveloped region of Xinjiang, according to economist Xu Tianchen. Xinjiang will become an increasingly important lever, serving as both a final destination market and a transit point, with numerous infrastructure development projects underway to enhance connectivity, including the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.

China is striving to leverage Xinjiang's unique geographical advantages, such as its shared borders with eight countries—including Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan—and its central role in the Belt and Road Initiative. Improving transportation networks will help strengthen Xinjiang's infrastructure connections with Central Asia, according to Peng Peng, executive chairman of the Guangdong Reform Association.

Xinjiang also announced plans for a free trade center earlier this month. The pilot plan will be implemented in three locations: Kashgar, Horgius, and Urumqi, and could last five years before Xinjiang officially becomes a free trade zone.

An Khang (According to SCMP )

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