On December 23, China inaugurated its first high-altitude airport in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region after more than two years of construction.
Departing from Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, at 8:57 AM Beijing time on December 23, China Southern Airlines flight CZ5193 landed at the Tashikurgan Airport in the Tajik Autonomous County of Taxkorgan at 10:59 AM the same day, marking the official opening of the region’s first high-altitude airport.
Tashikurgan Airport, located at an elevation of 3,258 meters above sea level, is the westernmost transport airport in China. It features a runway that is 3,800 meters long, capable of handling 1,900 takeoffs and landings each year, accommodating 160,000 passengers along with 400 tons of cargo and mail annually.
The project commenced in 2020 with an investment of over 1.6 billion yuan, equivalent to approximately 229 million USD. Constructing the airport in the Pamir Plateau was no easy feat, as low oxygen levels and frigid weather impacted the performance of airport workers and slowed project progress.
“This is one of the most challenging tasks I have ever undertaken,” said Xu Changjiu, the technical director of the airport terminal area, who has worked in airport engineering for over 20 years.
Tashikurgan Airport in the Pamir Plateau, Xinjiang.
In September 2020, Xu first visited Taxkorgan to survey the construction site with over 100 workers, but soon after, they began to experience altitude sickness with mild fever, dizziness, and even vomiting.
As workers struggled to acclimate to the high-altitude climate, many local Tajik residents brought bread and hot tea from their homes to treat them, with some even assisting in transporting concrete.
“We felt the warmth of the local people and their hopes for the airport. We are determined to complete the project, no matter the difficulties,” Xu shared.
Earlier this year, with the coordinated efforts of more than 4,000 workers, the airport’s flight area and terminal were completed on schedule and passed acceptance testing.
Taxkorgan is the only autonomous county in China where over 80% of its approximately 40,000 residents belong to the Tajik ethnic group. The lack of convenient and efficient transportation has restricted the socio-economic development of the region.
“Previously, it took me 40 to 50 hours to travel by bus and train to Beijing. Thanks to the new airport, the time has been reduced to just 8 hours,” said Mirsayip Nuralip, a Tajik resident.
The opening of Tashikurgan Airport not only significantly reduces travel time but also promotes industrial and tourism development in the region.
