China is starting to build a new railway line called the Xinjiang-Tibet railway. This railway will run close to the border between China and India, near the Ladakh region.
The project has been planned for about 20 years. It was first thought of between 2006 and 2008, after China finished its first railway to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. The idea was to connect Tibet to other parts of China, like Yunnan, Chengdu, and Xinjiang.
But building the railway between Xinjiang and Tibet was difficult because of tough weather and land conditions, such as very cold temperatures and frozen ground. After careful studies, the project gained approval and is now part of Tibet’s plan to develop railways from 2021 to 2030.
The railway will pass through Aksai Chin and follow a highway called G219, near the Line of Actual Control (the border line between India and China). Building this railway is important for China’s border infrastructure, which has been a source of tension and conflicts with India.
At the same time, India and China are having talks to reduce border tensions, with more discussions planned before a big meeting called the SCO summit this month.
China has created a new government company, Xinjiang Tibet Railway Co. Ltd, to manage this railway project. This company will also work on making transport equipment, managing property, and developing tourism facilities in the area.
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This company has a large fund of about 95 billion yuan (around 13.2 billion US dollars). Ma Yinjun is the legal head of this company.
Last year, China started surveying and designing part of the railway between Hotan and Shigatse. In April 2025, China’s transport ministry announced that the Xinjiang-Tibet railway is one of 45 major projects to start construction this year.
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