China Says IT Opened World’s Longest Expressway Tunnel to Traffic in Uyghurland

Authorities cite connectivity gains; impact on Uyghur communities remains unclear

By Uyghur Times Staff | December 26, 2025

Key Developments

• Chinese authorities opened a 324.7-kilometer expressway section linking Urumqi to Lopnur County on Friday.
• The route includes the 22.13-kilometer Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, described as the world’s longest expressway tunnel.
• Officials say the project reduces travel time between Urumqi and Korla from about seven hours to roughly three and a half.
• Construction began in April 2020 with a reported investment of 46.7 billion yuan (approximately $6.66 billion).

Details:
A new expressway section in Uyghur homeland, (officially called the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) officially opened to traffic, according to Chinese state media China daily. The route crosses the Tianshan (Tengritagh in Uyghur) Mountains via the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, cutting the mountain crossing time to about 20 minutes

The expressway connects Urumqi, the regional capital, with Yuli County in Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture and links to major domestic highways, including the G7 Beijing–Urumqi Expressway and the G30 Lianyungang–Horgos route.

Project engineers stated that construction took place at altitudes near 3,000 meters under extreme weather conditions and complex geological settings, including seismic activity and fault zones.

Context
Large-scale infrastructure projects in Uyghur homeland are regularly promoted by Chinese authorities as symbols of development and regional integration. The Tianshan (Tengritagh) Mountains divide northern and southern parts of the region, and previous crossings involved long, winding routes often disrupted by winter closures and major transportation channels have been used by government for migration and transferring local resources to Chinese provinces.

Chinese officials say the expressway is part of broader transport and trade corridors connecting China with Central and West Asia.

Why It Matters

While authorities emphasize reduced travel times and logistics efficiency, there is no clear or independent assessment of how this project benefits Uyghur communities directly. The economic, social, and employment impacts on Uyghurs have not been transparently disclosed.

Human rights organizations and researchers have documented Uyghur forced labor, economic exploitation, and state-directed Han Chinese migration in the region. Infrastructure and development projects in East Turkistan have also been widely used in Chinese state media narratives to project stability and progress, while ongoing repression and rights concerns remain unresolved.

Key Players (Optional)

• China Communications Construction Co.: State-owned company involved in building the expressway
• Xinjiang Transport Department: Regional authority overseeing the project

Reactions
Chinese state media highlighted statements from engineers and officials praising technical achievements and environmental mitigation measures, including tunnels and wildlife passages. No independent Uyghur civil society reactions were reported.