Belt and Road Initiative
China's 22.13km Tianshan Shengli Tunnel in Xinjiang opened on Friday, slashing the drive through the Tianshan Mountains to 20 minutes. The centerpiece of the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, it halves travel time between the regional capital Urumqi and Korla from over seven hours to about 3½ hours. The project aims to bolster regional and international links.
Reported by AI
The 17th Silk Road Studies Forum concluded at Shanghai International Studies University on Saturday, bringing together 40 experts to discuss autonomous knowledge production in West China's neighboring regions and high-quality development in the Belt and Road Initiative's core areas. Experts stressed Xinjiang's crucial role as a functional hub in the BRI and shared practical pathways for cultural empowerment.