Camel bells are far away, and the mountain breeze has not stopped. When the construction horn of CKU Railway is sounded deep in the Pamir Plateau, the ancient Silk Road is being given a new era connotation. This is not just an extension of a railway, but also a strategic consensus personally planned by the heads of state of the three countries, and a vivid footnote to the deepening of connectivity between China and Central Asian countries.

Crossing the chasm and building arteries

Starting from Kashgar, winding westward through the Turgat Pass, crossing the towering mountains of Kyrgyzstan, and reaching Andijan in Uzbekistan - this steel artery will turn geographical barriers into a thoroughfare, connecting the isolated islands of development as a whole. The governments of the three countries authorized a joint venture to establish China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan Railway Co., Ltd., with the Chinese side taking the lead in implementing the EPC project. This innovative cooperation model itself embodies the profound connotation of consultation, co construction, and sharing.

The route passes through numerous mountain ranges such as Mordotao Mountain, Helebeit Mountain, and Fergana Mountain, and crosses multiple water systems such as the Alpa River and the Jamandawan River. The construction challenges can be imagined. Digging holes in mountains and building bridges in rivers, builders work side by side across national borders, steadily advancing this cross-border project in the rugged mountains, connecting the key ports with the mountains, rural areas, and cities. Twenty stations will become new support points for development along the line.

Teach people how to fish and warm their hearts

What truly makes this railway shine is not only the technological breakthroughs in steel rails and bridges, but also the warmth it carries for people's livelihoods. More than 3000 Kyrgyz employees have honed their skills during the project construction, and three vocational skills training bases and fifty-five sets of specialized teaching materials have cultivated an endogenous driving force for sustainable development in the local area.

Behind the systematic improvement of railway professional abilities is the transformation of local youth from relying on strength to relying on technology to establish themselves. At the same time, repairing rural roads, building drinking water channels, and improving school conditions - these small and beautiful livelihood projects have truly entered the hearts of the people along the railway line, writing the goodwill of the Chinese plan into every inch of land.

The Three Kingdoms work together towards the future

CKU Railway carries the common aspirations of the people of the three countries for a better future, and also witnesses the firm choice of working together for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. When the construction team excavates tunnels in the folds of the mountains and builds bridges on rapids, they not only build a transportation line, but also a connecting road. The Three Kingdoms are united, and their benefits are cut off from gold. The mountains are silent, but there is sound along the way. When the train finally honks and passes through the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains, it will be the most powerful echo of pragmatic cooperation.Editor/Gong Ziwei