Western China - news and development

[JSCh]

Work to start on rail link with Iran
By Cui Jia in Urumqi (China Daily) Updated: 2016-01-15 08:00

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region plans to start preliminary work on a railway linking China with Iran via Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan within five years.

The railway is expected to run from Xinjiang's Kashgar to Afghanistan's Herat, then go through Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and finally connect with the Iranian railway.

Conducting preliminary work on the railway has been listed in the draft of the region's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) that is likely to be passed by the regional people's congress on Saturday.

The central government positioned Xinjiang as the core region on the Silk Road Economic Belt, which was proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013 and aims to revive the trade route that once connected China with Europe via Central Asian countries.

Representatives of transport ministries and railway departments from the five countries signed a document on the railway in a meeting in December 2014, Xinhua News Agency reported.

To better construct transportation corridors on the southern part of the economic belt, Xinjiang also began preliminary work on the China-Pakistan railway and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, the draft said. Both railways will start at southern Xinjiang's Kashgar, which borders Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan.

Kyrgyzstan and China have been discussing for many years the possibility of constructing a China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.

Xinjiang will also launch more flights connecting Central Asia, Western Asia and Europe. With 17 airports, Xinjiang currently has more airports than any other province or region. By 2020, the number of airports in the region will reach 28.

Because of its strategic location, the region will build four more gas pipelines connecting eastern parts of China, one of which will transport Russian natural gas to China.

The coal-rich region will continue to support China's development by transmitting electricity generated by thermal plants to other parts of the country via high-voltage power lines. By 2020, 30 million kW of electricity will be transmitted out of Xinjiang.

 

[AndrewJin]

Tibet Pilots 20 Distinctive Townships
2016-01-09 15:11:56 | Xinhua | Web Editor: Guan Chao

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A file phto of Qamdo City, southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.

Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China will build 20 distinctive towns in the next three years, making them exemplary areas for comfortable living, work and tourism.

A ground-breaking ceremony was held earlier this week in Jedeshol Town, Gonggar County, marking the start of the pilot project for urban construction in the plateau region.

Town infrastructure, including roads, will also be improved. The showcase project is expected to boost the traditional colored apron weaving in Jedeshol Town, which are garments often worn by Tibetan women.

Zhoigar, deputy head of the Tibet Housing and Urban-Rural Development Department, said the township construction will highlight historical and cultural resources, improve living standards and protect the environment.

The construction of the showcase towns will stick to the principle of prudent cutting of trees, no digging of mountains, no filling lakes and little destruction of houses, according to the project.

The 20 towns are in seven cities or prefectures in Tibet. Most of them have finished their planning. Experts will join the construction and provide technical support.

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A file photo of Shigatse City, southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.

Impressive!

 

[Dungeness]

No worries.
An US girl told me that some Americans actually use supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in daily life.

That is a freaking "BIG WORD". Teenagers love to use big words to impress others.

View attachment 286741

When I looked at this picture, these words come to my mind:-
- Magnificent!
- Stunning!
- Jaw-dropping!
- Awesome!
- Amazing!

Awesome !

 

[Jlaw]

No worries.
An US girl told me that some Americans actually use supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in daily life.

Dude, don't use that as that is so 1980!

On Dec 31, 2015, the Qingshuihe Bridge was officially put into operation, one full year ahead of schedule

A foreign netizen jokingly commented that if it were his country in charge of the project, they would probably spend ten years on discussion, another five on planning, and five more on construction. He also speculated that the final cost would be four times the budget.

The foreigner is exactly right. He may be joking but its reality in most western countries, especially in Canada

 

[ahojunk]

A sister province coming to the aid of Tibet.

----------------
Gansu to Ease Tibet's Power Needs
2016-01-15 15:38:54 Xinhua Web Editor: Chu Yiming

A file photo of the power grid in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. [Photo: tibet.cn]

Northwest China's Gansu Province capable of producing extra energy will transfer 700 million kilowatt-hours (kwh) of electricity to Tibet Autonomous Region in 2016.

It is estimated that this transmission will provide 18 percent of Tibet's annual power consumption, limiting power shortages during the harsher months of the year, according to Gansu Power Grid on Friday.

In addition, the transmission will reduce power surplus in Gansu. Electricity sales in the province stood at 76.3 billion kwh in 2015, down 6.7 percent year on year, mainly due to a reduction in industrial consumption. Power consumption in Gansu declined for four consecutive months since September

Gansu is a major power provider in northwest China. New energy, including wind and photovoltaic power, accounts for more than 40 percent of the installed capacity of the provincial power grid. Nearly 17 percent of power consumption in Gansu are from new energy sector.

 

[Tiqiu]

Dude, don't use that as that is so 1980!





The foreigner is exactly right. He may be joking but its reality in most western countries, especially in Canada

Exactly Cuzz, it was told to me in the 80s.
I still remember it pronounces like super-califra-gilistic-expaili-docious

 

[ahojunk]

International Elementary School on China-Myanmar Border
2016-01-13 14:05:39 | CRIENGLISH.com | Web Editor: Huang Yue

The school gate of an international elementary school in Yunnan Province. Located on the China-Myanmar border, the Yinjing Elementary School now has 152 students, including 65 Myanmar students. It provides free compulsory education to both Chinese and Myanmar students.

Chinese and Myanmese students playing together.

Study time.

 

[ahojunk]

Very good news coming from one of the poorer provinces.

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Guangxi reports 15% rise in foreign trade
(Xinhua) Updated: 2016-01-16 13:16

NANNING - South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region reported a 15 percent rise in foreign trade last year, an impressive report against a downward national figure.

Export and import values totaled 319 billion yuan ($48.46 billion) in Guangxi in 2015, according to figures published by customs authorities in the regional capital Nanning on Saturday.

The figure breaks down into 174 billion yuan of exports and 145 billion yuan of imports, up 16 percent and 13.8 percent respectively year on year.

Trade with the ASEAN economies -- which are Guangxi's major trade partners -- totaled 180.3 billion yuan, making up 56.6 percent of its total trade volume and representing a surge of 19.6 percent from 2014.

Guangxi has fully exploited its geographical advantage and its cooperation with ASEAN members to deepen coordinated development and boost foreign trade, said Wang Yadong, deputy chief of the customs authorities in Nanning.

Wang said the region will further such cooperation and seek trade expansion in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, namely, the initiative of jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.

China's total export and import values decreased 7 percent year on year, falling for the first time in six years, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs.

 

[ahojunk]

IIRC, there is a Chinese proverb that says, "if you want to be rich, build a road."

Not only is China building roads, she is also building beautiful highways and expressways.

Enjoy these pictures of the beautiful expressway from Ya'an to Xichang in Sichuan:-

Scenery of 'most beautiful highway' after snow

Amazing snowy scenery of the highway from Ya'an to Xichang in southwest China's Sichuan province. Police had to remind the drivers and passengers not to get distracted by the beautiful landscape and ignore safety.

 

[AndrewJin]

IIRC, there is a Chinese proverb that says, "if you want to be rich, build a road."

Not only is China building roads, she is also building beautiful highways and expressways.

Enjoy these pictures of the beautiful expressway from Ya'an to Xichang in Sichuan:-

Scenery of 'most beautiful highway' after snow

Amazing snowy scenery of the highway from Ya'an to Xichang in southwest China's Sichuan province. Police had to remind the drivers and passengers not to get distracted by the beautiful landscape and ignore safety.

View attachment 287681

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Imposing scenery!
This expressway is one section of G5 national expressway (Beijing-Kunming), 2000+km.

The following photos were taken by myself in 2015.

The longest tunnel of Yaxi expressway is more than 10km, at the altitude of 2500m above sea level, 1600 metres from the summit! It saves at least one hour compared to previous zigzag mountainous highway.
Speed limit within the tunnel is 70km/h.

The total length of bridges and tunnels accounts for 55%

The Ganhaizi and Tiezhaizi dual spiral tunnels!!!

 

[JSCh]

Tibet detects 672 geothermal sites
Source: Xinhua 2016-01-16 20:04:45

LHASA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has detected 672 geothermal sites with a combined power generation potential of 800,000 kilowatts in a new survey.

The resources are found along the plateau railway link in Lhasa, Nyemo, Yambajan, Nagqu and near Cona Lake, in areas near the Yarklunggtsangpo,Lhasa and Nyainchu rivers, as well as the vast uninhabited areas in the north of Tibet, said the regional bureau of geology and mineral exploration on Saturday.

The survey also found that Tibet's high-temperature geothermal resources of over 150 degrees Celcius take up 80 percent of China's total.

This is contrary to traditional beliefs that high-temperature geothermal resources are found only in volcanic regions at low altitudes. Tibet has an average altitude of 4,000 meters.

It plans to invest heavily in the coming decade to exploit clean and renewable energy including geothermal and solar energy.

Equivalent to roughly 853 billion tonnes of standard coal, China's geothermal energy potential could replace coal in energy consumption.

Editor: Luan​

 

[ahojunk]

@AndrewJin

The Yaxi expressway tunnel of more than 10 km and high up in the mountains at 2,500m altitude must have cost a fair bit of money (but China is rich!).

You are lucky. Seems to me that you are a professional traveler just touring around China on HSRs and taking pictures.

The Ganhaizi and Tiezhaizi dual spiral tunnels - look interesting but a bit of an overkill IMHO. Why do they need to be spiral tunnels? Do you have more info on them?

 

[AndrewJin]

The Ganhaizi and Tiezhaizi dual spiral tunnels - look interesting. Why do they need to be spiral tunnels? Do you have more info on them?

Because the altitude climbs up from 1889m above the sea to 2220m above the sea within a direct distance of 3-4 km. Very innovative design!

The first spiral to the north

The second spiral in the south

After dual spiral tunnels, it followed by endless tunnels again.

 

[JSCh]

Xinjiang to train over 10,000 textile workers in 2016
Source: Xinhua 2016-01-18 15:41:07

URUMQI, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region plans to send 500 management staff and between 10,000 and 20,000 workers to train at inland textile and garment enterprises this year.

After the training, they will return to Xinjiang to help boost the development of the textile and garment industry in the region, a leading producer of top-quality cotton in China.

Xinjiang has sent 300 entrepreneurs and management staff, about 70 percent of whom are from ethnic minority groups, to receive training in 21 large-scale enterprises from nine inland provinces and cities starting in October 2015, according to Xinjiang's economic and information commission.

The first batch will receive training in advanced management techniques, production processes and marketing before training finishes at the end of January, the commission said.

Xinjiang produces about 60 percent of China's raw cotton, but most textile companies are in eastern coastal areas, far from Xinjiang.

The State Council, China's cabinet, issued a guideline in June, 2015 to bolster the textile and garment industry in Xinjiang in the hope of increasing local employment and facilitate exports.

Editor: Luan​

 

[ahojunk]

Xinjiang Pilots Cross-border RMB Borrowing Biz
2016-01-10 15:14:02 Xinhua Web Editor: Guan Chao

A file photo of Kashgar economic development zone, Xinjiang. [Photo: Xinhua]

The People's Bank of China has approved two border areas in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to pilot cross-border renminbi (RMB) borrowing.

According to the central bank's interim measure, businesses in the economic development zones in Kashgar and Horgos will be able to borrow RMB loans from institutional and private lenders from abroad to finance projects in all four prefectures in southern Xinjiang including Kashgar, Hotan, Kizilsu and Aksu.

The loans can only be used for production and construction projects rather than folk transaction activities, the bank said.

With the boom of e-commerce, Xinjiang is becoming better connected with the international community after the implementation of the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative.

The border areas have boosted infrastructure projects including roads, railways and energy corridors as well as the construction of cross-border logistics parks, import and export goods distribution centers and cross-border development zones to tap an unlimited trade potential with Central Asia, Russia and Europe as well as the Persian Gulf and countries around the Mediterranean Sea.