The city is not a fictitious place from a fairytale, but a real city, located along the Belt and Road, has a vision to create a land and sea corridor that allows commercial, cultural, and idea exchanges, as it once did when it was part of the ancient Silk Road.
A Border City’s Economic Takeoff
The name of this city is Horgos. A county-level city of Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, it sits right on the border with Kazakhstan. Although it is a small place of tens of thousands of people, especially when compared to some of China’s megacities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing, which all boast tens of millions of permanent inhabitants, its importance cannot be overlooked. Over the past decade, Horgos has literally risen out of the grassland to become a logistics and trade center and one of the largest land terminals for cargo transportation in Eurasia. For this purpose, a series of projects have been launched, with new buildings, roads, companies, and other types of infrastructure erected to support the land port.
As a result, people have been arriving in Horgos in successive waves. They have not only come from other parts of Xinjiang, but also from all over China. In addition, Horgos is a place that has seen the blending and integration of various ethnic groups, including Uygur, Mongolian, Kazak, Hui, and Han, which has given the city a particular stamp.
The Horgos railway station started the China- Europe freight train service in March 2016. Since then, the number of trains passing through the cargo terminal has been increasing. During the most critical moment of the COVID-19 pandemic, it directly contributed to the transportation of material and medical supplies from China to the West. Meanwhile, a passenger train route was launched in June 2017, connecting China and Kazakhstan, the second between the two countries.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A City with Vision for the Future
LOCATED on the edge of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, at one of the farthest points in China from the sea, stands a city that began to embrace its great economic takeoff just 10 years ago.
Setting out on the Great Rejuvenation
THE centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was marked by a grand gathering held on July 1 at Beijing’s Tian’anmen Square.
A Similar History Has United Us
— Interview with Carlos Miguel Pereira, Ambassador of Cuba to China
The CPC's 100 Years of “Routine Miracles”
AT a grand ceremony commemorating the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at Beijing’s Tian’anmen Square on July 1, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, solemnly declared the completion of building China into a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the country’s first centenary goal.
An Open Xinjiang with Multi-Ethnic Beliefs
SINCE ancient times, Xinjiang has been a region where ethnic groups live together, religious beliefs are diversified, and many cultures coexist. Primitive religion and Shamanism were initially prevalent in the region.
Xinjiang in My Eyes
ON May 24, 2021, I boarded a flight to Urumqi from Beijing with a group of Chinese and foreign journalists to learn more about Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a vast territory that is home to many ethnic groups and diverse cultures. The visit has left me with lasting memories and a deeper understanding of the people and the region as a whole.
Stability and Development Are the Strongest Evidences of Human Rights
OVER the past months hostile elements in certain Western countries have trumped-up charges against China concerning human rights in Xinjiang, spreading lies about “forced labor,” “genocide,” and “religious oppression” in the region.
BRI Nexus Promoting Multilateralism in a Post-Pandemic World
BORN of centuries-long interactions between China and other civilizations along the ancient Silk Road, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) appears as the quintessential manifestation of multilateralism on the world stage since the Second World War which was, sad to say, one of quite a different kind.
Tourism Boosts Rural Revitalization in Ili
THEY say you never know how big China is until you come to Xinjiang, and never know how beautiful Xinjiang is until you come to Ili.
Xinjiang's Cotton Industry Gets Smart
LOCATED in the northwest of China, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region boasts long hours of sunshine and ample water for irrigation — making the region geographically ideal for growing cotton. Cotton grown in Xinjiang, which has good coloration and long fiber, is favored in both domestic and foreign markets.
