BEIJING: Ever since the ancient Silk Road was opened up after imperial envoy Zhang Qian’s expedition to the Western Regions, the easternmost portion of today’s Central Asia, cooperation between Xi’an and Central Asian countries has been consistent and growing in terms of trade, agriculture, energy and many other areas.
Such bonds were strengthened on Thursday when a direct flight between Xi’an and Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe was opened. The ancient capital of China has become the first Chinese city connected by air with all five Central Asian countries with a total of 11 airlines operating flights every week.
“The number of airlines will continue to grow in the future to meet the needs for trade and investment activities,” Ye Niuping, acting mayor of Xi’an, told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday.
Founded some 3,100 years ago, Xi’an, which is today the capital of Shaanxi province, served as the Chinese capital for 13 dynasties. During its heyday in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), when it was known as Chang’an, the city attracted a significant influx of foreign merchants, envoys and students from various countries. During the Tang Dynasty, numerous scholars and poets visited the then Chang’an, seeking literary discussions, camaraderie and poetic indulgence.
Ye, also vice-governor of Shaanxi province, said Shaanxi has given full play to its geopolitical strengths and serves as a business and logistics hub facing Central Asian countries, particularly since President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
