Expressway boosts ancient Silk Road route
Highway fuels tourism industry and promotes various ethnic groups' cultures
The Lianyungang-Khorgos Expressway, running from East China's Jiangsu province to Khorgos in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, not only boosts economic and trade collaboration among cities alongside it, but also helps to culturally revive the ancient Silk Road.
Totaling 4,395 kilometers, the expressway links many cultural heritage sites and scenic spots across the country, such as the 3,300-year-old Yinxu Ruins and the Longmen Grottoes in Henan province, Emperor Qinshihuang's mausoleum site that dates back to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), the Weiyang Palace in the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-AD 24) and the Tang Dynasty (618-907) Daming Palace in Shanxi province, the Qicai Danxia Scenic Area in Gansu province as well as the Turpan Basin and Sayram Lake in Xinjiang.
It serves as the artery of Xinjiang's highway network, helping to fuel the development of its tourism industry and promote the cultures of various ethnic groups.