China National Highway 219 (G219;
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
: ''
Guódào
The China National Highways (CNH/Guodao) () is a network of trunk roads across mainland China. Apart from the expressways of China that are planned and constructed later, most of the CNH are not controlled-access highways.
History
The b ...
219'') is a
highway
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
which runs along the entire western and southern border of the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, from
Kom-Kanas Mongolian ethnic township in
Xinjiang
Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...
to
Dongxing in
Guangxi
Guangxi (; ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Kwanghsi; ; za, Gvangjsih, italics=yes), officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the People's Republic ...
. At over long, it is part of the
China National Highway Network Planning (2013–2030)
China National Highway Network Planning (2013–2030) ( zh, 国家公路网规划(2013年—2030年)) is a plan by the Chinese Ministry of Transport to significantly expand the China National Highways network. The plan calls for the construc ...
, and once completed it will be the longest
National Highway National highway or National Highway may refer to:
* National Highways (England)
* National Highway (Australia)
* List of National Roads in Belgium
* Brunei National Roads System
* National Highway System (Canada)
* Trans-Ca ...
.
Before 2013, G219 ran from
Yecheng (Karghilik) in the
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...
to
Lhatse
The new town of Lhatse or Lhatse Xian, also known as Quxar (, Quxia (), or Chusar, is a small town of a few thousand people in the Tibet Autonomous Region in the valley of the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Lhatse County, southwest of Shigatse and just ...
in the
Tibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region or Xizang Autonomous Region, often shortened to Tibet or Xizang, is a Provinces of China, province-level Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People's Republic of China in Southwest China. I ...
. It was long. This section was completed in September 1957. India disagrees with China over its territorial footprint in
Aksai Chin. During the
1962 war
The Sino-Indian War took place between China and India from October to November 1962, as a major flare-up of the Sino-Indian border dispute. There had been a series of violent border skirmishes between the two countries after the 1959 Tib ...
, China defended the road, also pushing its western frontier further west. For the first time after the 1960s, between 2010-2012, China spent ($476 million) repaving the Xinjiang section spanning just over . China's 13th (2016–2020) and 14th (2021–2025)
five-year plans Five-year plan may refer to:
Nation plans
*Five-year plans of the Soviet Union, a series of nationwide centralized economic plans in the Soviet Union
*Five-Year Plans of Argentina
*Five-Year Plans of Bhutan, a series of national economic developm ...
both included development of the road and connectivity with other roads.
Former G219
Construction of this road as a gravel road was started in 1951. It is also known as the 'Yehchang–Gartok road', the 'Aksai Chin road', and the 'Sky Road'.
About passes through Aksai Chin.
Xinjiang-Tibet road, Aksai Chin
![Aksai Chin Sino-Indian border map](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Aksai_Chin_Sino-Indian_border_map.svg)
Through 1950s China planned and constructed a road through its western frontier in Xinjiang and Tibet (Hotan/Rutog).
China announced completion of the road in September 1957. A number of reasons for building the road has been conceptualized, including cementing China's control over the region.
India supposedly learnt of the construction a couple of years after the road construction started.
Despite the historic remoteness of the region, both sides lay claim to the area.
The road entered disputed territory "just east of Sarigh Jilgnang" after which it ran through a number of locations India recognized as its territory such as ''Haji Langar,'' and usage was claimed by India to be in contravention to the
Sino-Indian Agreement 1954
The 1954 Sino-Indian Agreement, also called the Panchsheel Agreement, officially the Agreement on Trade and Intercourse Between Tibet Region of China and India, was signed by China and India in Peking on 29 April 1954. The preamble of the agreement ...
. The following years saw China repave the road which resulted in localized tension.
One of the reasons for the
1962 war
The Sino-Indian War took place between China and India from October to November 1962, as a major flare-up of the Sino-Indian border dispute. There had been a series of violent border skirmishes between the two countries after the 1959 Tib ...
was the defence of that road.
In the defence of the road, China pushed its western frontier further west.
Dispute over the territory persists to the present time.
There is a Chinese war memorial on the G219 at
Kangxiwar
Kangxiwar (; ug, كەڭشىۋەر) is the location of a deserted town on the southwest side of the Kunlun Mountains. It is on the bank of the Karakash River in the western Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. I ...
.
A number of lateral roads have been constructed with scattered military infrastructure.
Road development
Repaving of the road began in late 2010.
By July 2012 and with an expenditure of ($476 million), the Xinjiang section spanning just over was completed.
This was the first repaving since the 1960s, according to a Chinese road administration official.
The
13th five-year plan of China (2016–2020) further upgraded the road. In 2013 the road was upgraded to
asphalt
Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term a ...
.
A number of provincial roads have been and are being developed which exit off from the G219, the G564 and the G365, and the S205, S206, S207. China
14th five-year plan for 2021–2025 further improves connectivity with G219.
Route description
![G219-Elevation](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/G219-Elevation.png)
As one of the highest motorable roads in the world, the breathtaking scenery of
Rutog County
Rutog County (),
(in ) is a county in Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. The county seat is the new Rutog Town, located some or 700 miles west-northwest of the Tibetan capital, Lhasa. Rutog County sh ...
also ranks as some of the most inhospitable terrain on the planet. Domar township—a town of concrete blocks and nomad tents—is one of the bleakest and most remote outposts of the
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...
at the edge of the
Aksai Chin. Near the town of Mazar many trekkers turn off for both the
Karakorum
Karakorum (Khalkha Mongolian: Хархорум, ''Kharkhorum''; Mongolian Script:, ''Qaraqorum''; ) was the capital of the Mongol Empire between 1235 and 1260 and of the Northern Yuan dynasty in the 14–15th centuries. Its ruins lie in the ...
range and
K2 base camp. Approaching the Xinjiang border, past the final Tibetan settlement of Tserang Daban is a dangerous 5,050-meter-high pass. Tibetan nomads in the area herd both yaks and two-humped camels. Descending through the western Kunlun Shan, the road crosses additional passes of 4,000 and 3,000 meters, and the final pass offers brilliant views of the
Taklamakan Desert
The Taklimakan or Taklamakan Desert (; zh, s=塔克拉玛干沙漠, p=Tǎkèlāmǎgān Shāmò, Xiao'erjing: , dng, Такәламаган Шамә; ug, تەكلىماكان قۇملۇقى, Täklimakan qumluqi; also spelled Taklimakan and Te ...
far below before descending into the Karakax River basin.
The Chinese government is making efforts to promote tourism along G219. There are a number of military check posts along the road.
Route and distance
Mountain Passes Rhyme
The western portion of the highway has numerous notable mountain passes. Motorists have invented a
rhyme
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds (usually, the exact same phonemes) in the final stressed syllables and any following syllables of two or more words. Most often, this kind of perfect rhyming is consciously used for a musical or aesthetic ...
describing those mountain passes:
Gallery
New route
The route was expanded in the
China National Highway Network Planning (2013–2030)
China National Highway Network Planning (2013–2030) ( zh, 国家公路网规划(2013年—2030年)) is a plan by the Chinese Ministry of Transport to significantly expand the China National Highways network. The plan calls for the construc ...
both northward and eastward to span the entire Chinese western and southern border. The new route will measure over , making it by far the longest National Highway.
The section along the China-Vietnam border is also known as the Yanbian Highway (沿边公路, literally: ''along the border highway'').
Route table
See also
*
China National Highways
The China National Highways (CNH/Guodao) () is a network of trunk roads across mainland China. Apart from the expressways of China that are planned and constructed later, most of the CNH are not controlled-access highways.
History
The bui ...
*
China National Highway 228
China National Highway 228 () is a planned highway of the National Highway System of the People's Republic of China to run from Dandong, Liaoning on the China–North Korea border to Dongxing, Guangxi on the China–Vietnam border.
This route f ...
, which follows the coastline of China
*
China National Highway 331
China National Highway 331 (G331) runs along the northern Chinese border from Dandong, Liaoning to Altay, Xinjiang. Once fully completed it will be about 9,200 kilometres in length.
Route and distance
See also
* China National Highways
* ...
, which follows the northern border of China
References
Further reading
* Dorje, Gyurme. (2009). ''Footprint Tibet Handbook''. (4th Ed.) Footprint Handbooks, Bath, England. .
*
*
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External links
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*
Xinjiang-Tibet Highway (Yecheng-Burang) Description and profile of the route.
Photos along highway 219 (text in French).
Some photos along the Highway 219A detailed description of a bicycle ride along highway 219 with many photosPhotographs of a 2018 trip along G219
{{China National Highways
219
__NOTOC__
Year 219 ( CCXIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Antonius and Sacerdos (or, less frequently, year 972 '' ...
Roads in Xinjiang
Roads in Tibet