On February 15, 2023, the centralized commencement ceremony of 2023 key transportation construction projects in Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang was held at the starting point of Aksu City on the National Highway 219, marking the pressing of the acceleration key for regional project construction. Wang Gang, secretary of the prefectural party committee, attended the ceremony and announced the commencement of the project. The projects to be started this time are mainly Kuqa-Saya section of National Highway 217 and Aksu (Wensu) - Ush-Aheqi section of National Highway 219.

The Kusha Highway section of G217 is an important part of the main framework of Xinjiang road network, with a total length of 80 kilometers in the region. The starting point is located in the south of Yanshuigou Toll Station and the ending point is in the southwest of Shaya County.

The Awuah section of G219 is an important trunk highway across Aksu region. The total length of the project route is 163.14 kilometers. The starting point is located at the east side of the fork in the north outer ring of Aksu City, and the ending point is located at the east side of Jialangqi New District, Akeqi County.

Two roads, one horizontal and one vertical, with a total planned investment of 8.764 billion yuan, are an important channel to ensure the economic development and livelihood construction of Aksu, connecting Aksu City, Kuqa City, Shaya County, Wushi County and Aheqi County. After the completion of the highway, it will effectively improve the service capacity of the regional and national road network, improve the transportation conditions along the line, and achieve the goal of connecting counties with highways.

In recent years, Aksu, based on its resource endowments and geographical advantages, has put its efforts to build an open base at the forefront of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt in an important position, focused on building a regional transportation hub, and worked hard to build a comprehensive transportation network that is perfect from east to west and smooth from north to south.

With the commencement of a number of comprehensive, basic and strategic major transportation projects such as the Kusha Highway on G217 and the Ou'a Highway on G219, the second phase of the Kubaiyu Highway on National Highway 579 and the continuation of a number of major transportation projects on the Aksu-Awati Highway on National Highway 580 have also been accelerated. 51 rural highway projects have been listed at the same time. The smooth, efficient and convenient transportation network outside the region has been gradually improved, igniting a new engine of high-quality development.

The centralized commencement of key transportation construction projects set off a new climax of regional project construction. Up to now, 920 key projects in the region have started and resumed work, with the rate of starting and resuming work reaching 76%, ranking the first in Xinjiang, achieving a good start in the first quarter and accelerating the progress, laying a solid foundation for the economic development throughout the year

Relevant leaders of the Department of Transport of the Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Communications Investment (Group) Co., Ltd., Xinjiang Communications Investment Construction Management Co., Ltd., relevant regional leaders and representatives of project construction enterprises attended the commencement ceremony.Editor/Ma Xue