URUMQI, Dec 26 (Xinhua) — The world’s longest expressway tunnel, the 22.13-kilometre Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, officially opened to traffic on Friday in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, marking a major milestone in regional connectivity and infrastructure development.Running through the heart of the Tianshan Mountains, the tunnel reduces what was once a several-hour mountain journey to just 20 minutes.
It forms a key part of the G0711 Urumqi–Yuli Expressway, which also began operations the same day.The new expressway serves as a vital transport artery linking northern and southern Xinjiang. Through connections with existing expressways, it extends access to major economic hubs including the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Chengdu–Chongqing region.
It is also expected to strengthen links between China’s eastern economic zones and countries across Eurasia.“This is an all-weather, high-efficiency and large-capacity transport corridor that will significantly enhance the resilience and security of national energy resources and agricultural supply chains,” said Huang Tao, deputy director of the transportation bureau of Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, where Yuli County is located.
The Tianshan Mountains stretch roughly 2,500 kilometres across central Xinjiang, historically separating Urumqi, the region’s largest city in the north, from Korla, the largest city in the south. With the expressway now in operation, travel time between the two cities has been reduced from about seven hours to nearly three, boosting economic integration and creating new channels for external trade and exchanges.The impact is already being felt by local businesses.
“Previously, transporting raw materials from northern Xinjiang to Yuli took three to four days; now it can be done in one to two days,” said Tao Feng, manager of Yuli Lihua Textile Co., Ltd., adding that transport costs and delivery times will be significantly reduced.Constructed over five years, the 324.7-kilometre expressway required a total investment of 46.7 billion yuan (approximately 6.63 billion US dollars).
Engineers faced formidable challenges due to the rugged terrain, according to Zhou Zheng, general manager of the project at China Communications Construction Company. The route includes an 11-kilometre section featuring 14 bridges and five tunnels, with a bridge-and-tunnel ratio exceeding 90 percent, highlighting the scale and complexity of the project.
The opening of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel is expected to play a transformative role in Xinjiang’s economic development, logistics efficiency and regional integration.
