On August 12, beneath the towering snow-capped peaks of the Tianshan Mountains, a delegation of overseas university educators visited the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel Geological Exhibition Hall, experiencing firsthand the Chinese ingenuity and infrastructure prowess behind this world-class project.
The exhibition hall, built against the mountain with a sleek, modern design, features a winding mountain model that clearly displays three parallel tunnel routes traversing the range. Upon learning that this is currently the world's longest expressway tunnel at 22.13 kilometers, cutting the drive through the Tianshan to about 20 minutes, Ross Mitchell, a Yale University PhD in Geology and Geophysics, expressed his astonishment.
The Tianshan, often dubbed a "geological museum," is composed primarily of hard granite and metamorphic rock, presenting extremely complex geological conditions. Mitchell carefully examined rock specimens extracted from deep underground. "Constructing such a long tunnel under these conditions is almost like challenging the limits of nature," he said. "Crossing 16 fault zones while tackling world-class challenges like high environmental standards, collapse risks, water inrushes, and rock bursts makes the completion of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel a true marvel of cutting-edge technology and engineering expertise."
To overcome these obstacles, Chinese engineers employed innovative solutions: building eco-friendly access roads to minimize ecological disruption, adopting a "three tunnels plus four shafts" construction plan that shortened the timeline by over a quarter, and deploying the world's first new-type pressurized TBM independently developed by China to solve the industry-wide problem of low hard-rock boring efficiency.
Upon hearing how builders overcame bottlenecks such as 4.8 kilometers of long-distance reverse slope drainage and set records with a maximum daily advance of 33.15 meters and a monthly advance of 500.2 meters, Pakistani educator Muhammad Arif Khan praised them repeatedly. "The ability of Chinese engineers to adapt to complex geological conditions is truly admirable," he said.
When told that the tunnel would slash travel time between Urumqi and Korla from over seven hours to roughly three hours, completely breaking the geographic barrier between northern and southern Xinjiang, the delegation engaged in lively discussion. Egyptian educator Wang Jianhao remarked, "Xinjiang is the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt. This tunnel not only facilitates travel for all ethnic groups but also boosts regional economic development and cultural exchange, making the improvement in people's livelihoods clearly visible."
A comment by Xinjiang tour guide Dilnur Tursunjan, shared with Taiwanese visitors and subsequently viral online, resonated deeply: "It's not that piercing the Tianshan is easy; it's that people await on the other side." Sri Lankan educator An Xile, who had seen the video before, said, "I was deeply moved then." He added that only while driving through the tunnel did he truly grasp its meaning: the Chinese government places people's needs first, always caring about the travel aspirations of every ordinary citizen.
As the delegation exited the exhibition hall into the bright sunshine, they lingered to gaze at the tunnel entrance. Deep in the mountains, they understood a simple truth: what makes mountains bow and rivers yield is never just steel or tunnel-boring machines, but the steadfast belief of the Chinese government that "people await on the other side." The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, this "underground dragon," is paving the way to a better life for people across the region.