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Regional stability fears prompt plan to begin rail lines in China

By Cui Jia (chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2016-03-06 20:30:35

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China can consider starting construction of the China-Pakistan and China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railways this year as research has been completed, Zeng Cun, Party chief of Xinjiang's Kashgar prefecture, said.

Besides funding issues, China still has concerns over social stability in those countries so as an NPC deputy he will hand in his proposal suggesting China begins construction in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Zeng said.

Both railways will start from Kashgar city. The two are crucial for China's plan to build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Silk Road Economic Belt. They will put Kashgar, which borders five countries including Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan as China's major trade hub in the western region.