Repaving of Xinjiang-Tibet highway first time in 50 years
Chinese officials have said they are close to completing the repaving of the Xinjiang-Tibet national highway, which runs through the disputed Aksai Chin region, for the first time in 50 years.
Repaving of the Xinjiang section, which runs through the Aksai Chin region that India holds claims to, will be completed next month, local authorities in Yecheng county of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) were quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency on Wednesday.
This marks the first repaving in the road’s 50-year history, according to Ma Zhixin, the deputy head of Yecheng’s road administration bureau.
Construction of the road began in 1951, and its completion in 1957 caught India by surprise, triggering tensions ahead of the 1962 conflict.
According to Xinhua, the repaving began in September 2010 and cost three billion yuan ($476 million).
The 2,143-km road runs from Yecheng county in Kashgar prefecture in Xinjiang south to Lhatse in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).
The Aksai Chin region is administered by China under the Hotan prefecture in Xinjiang.
The Xinjiang section of the road is 654.8 km in length. It is regarded as the highest traversable road in the world.
The national road is of strategic significance to China, both as the only link to its military outposts on its remote far-western border and as the most feasible land connection between Xinjiang and Tibet.
The repaving is part of a plan to upgrade road and rail infrastructure across the less developed western regions. While officials say the objective is to primarily boost development and bridge the gap with the more prosperous east, the plans have also stirred interest in India as they will widen the asymmetry in infrastructure across the disputed western section of the border.
Last year, the government opened a new rail link between Xinjiang and Tibet that shortened the distance between the two regional capitals, Urumqi and Lhasa, by more than 1,000 km. The government opened more than 5,000 km of new highway in TAR in 2011, and will add 8,000 km of railway lines in Xinjiang in the next Five-Year Plan, according to official reports.
Keywords: Xinjiang-Tibet highway, Aksai Chin
yes let us not live in an illusory world. Road of over 1000 km to being constructed in our territory from 51 - 57 what we are not even aware of it! So much for Askai Chin being Indian territory.Chinese workmanship and honesty requires appreciation that it required 50 yrs for repavement unlike Indian roads where after 50 days repavement is required.
So fellows ,it is time to forget Askai Chin and come to a settlement with China for mutual interest.
Instead of making it a means of dispute, both the countries can make it
means of co-operation and harmony. From news it's clear there's already
a railway line from Tibet to China. We have a wide railway lines across
country. If the railway is linked between Tibet Lahsa and AP, even
raiway accessibility from India to China is possible!
I am sure our foreign policy experts must be delighted. They will probably take this
opportunity to further "build confidence" with our neighbours by withdrawing from Siachen!
I don't understand why we pretend ignorance when it comes to save our
land from China.Our politicians and even news channels do not show a
vociferous protests against it.Is it only because this issue neither
make the vote count for politicians nor increases the viewership of this
channels?
POK & Aksai Chin will never come to India again..India should accept such reality.
Kamath Sir I do not doubt your wisdom, but there is a saying...
" something ceases to be yours only if You give up your claim ".
India's stand there is strong and clear. Someday She would get its rightful, Let's not be cynical about it.
The Chinese(Govt) are extremely methodical in their approach.Is there
corruption in China?,Bribe?, poverty? Political squabbling? The answer
is a big "YES" for all. but then ,their public works and other Govt
related services and the armed services all work in tandem like a
well oiled machine.India is sadly 50 years behind them and China
slowly but surely is a growing snowball that India will never be able
to handle.We have indeed let down the North east regions in terms of
border management and the people who live in the NE states.China is a
menace,and should not be trusted.
I was one of those persons who cheered Chou En Lai during his state visit to New Delhi. We
all sang " Hindi-Cheeni Bhai, Bhai" . We were all young then and were asked to do so!
But now, let us not live in an illusory world in the belief, that China would agree for a just settlement. They must be roaring with laughter behind the scenes at the stupidity of Indian politicians.
So fellows, Ladakh- Akashi Chin is gone forever. Accept it!
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