The Wakhan Corridor: this rugged mountain pass links China with Afghanistan.
Photo: Zhang Nanyi
By Zhang Nanyi
A torn plastic bag of Persian naan bread, a wooden staff, 50 assorted sheep, goats and yaks worth about 20,000 yuan ($3,000): these represent the bulk of the possessions he is taking on his 12-hour ride into the snowy Wakhan Corridor that – barely – links China with Afghanistan.
Sporting his traditional hat against the cold, dry wind and average annual temperatures of 3.3°C, Hanjar said he will now camp alone for a summer month on the rugged mountain pastures more than 4,000 meters above sea level where he and his animals have experience of weathering the violent vicissitudes of neighboring countries.
Hanjar, 35, has herded most of his life in the Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County, one of the newly developing counties of Kashgar Prefecture in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
For a hardy Tajik shepherd like him, there might be more lucrative employment than grazing: working as a part-time border guard.
"I'd love to be one if only it were possible," said Hanjar. "The border needs more guards. Plus, there's a monthly salary of 150 yuan."
Hanjar, Tajik shepherd hits the Wakhan corridor for summer grazing. Photo: Zhang Nanyi
The average income of the county's 33,000 residents last year was 15,000 yuan. About 87 percent are Tajik like Hanjar, with Han less than 4 percent, according to Party secretary Zang Aiwu, a member of the county's Han ethnic minority.
Hanjar can't be a guard: he doesn't speak Chinese. The Tajiks of China speak a kind of unwritten Eastern Iranian language, a considerable distance from the mandarin lingua franca of police and army patrolling this sensitive border region searching for terrorists and refugees from neighboring Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
Sat on the eastern ledge of the Pamir Plateau where the Kunlun, Kara-Kunlun, Hindu Kush and Tian Shan mountain ranges meet, Tashkurgan county's strategic passes boast a proven potential for trade. Total imports and exports through the county last year exceeded $140 million yuan: mainly groceries and household goods like food and carpets.
The checkpoint at the entrance of the Wakhan Corridor. Photo: Zhang Nanyi
"Highly effective road transportation could interlock Tashkurgan and the neighboring countries and generate more logistic needs," said Pan Zhiping, dean of Central Asia Research Institute of Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences.
"More development opportunities would be gradually realized with the increase in multi-literal trade."
The only proper highway built so far is National Highway 314, also known as the Karaloram Highway, that runs southwest through Tashkurgan county from its seat to the Khunjerab Pass at the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir border. A planned railroad awaits greater political stability.
A branch road breaks off 314 and heads off northwest through the checkpoint of the Karasu Pass into neighboring Tajikistan. Stuck in the middle of both is the central western frontier with Afghanistan, which will just have to wait its turn.
The gateway: Built to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China, this gateway is under construction at the Khunjerab Pass. Photo: Zhang Nanyi
The prospect of building a highway in the rocky ravines where Hanjar herds his goats once whetted Tashkurgan county officials' appetites. But after September 11th, troops came instead of bulldozers.
"The key to constructing an expressway or even a railway to connect with adjoining countries primarily relies on the stability of the political situations of the neighboring countries," Pan said.
Trade is an old Tashkurgan tradition. A very old one: dry corpses and human bone remains date back here from the 8-10th century BC. The ancient Silk Road passed through here and out through mountain scenery that includes "the father of glaciers", Mount Muztagata and the world's second-highest mountain, Mount Qogir, or K2. With nearly 200 million yuan invested by the private Chengdu Chengxiang Investment Group, Tashkurgan county town is building a five-star hotel promoting its Silk Road legacy, glacier scenic spots and "Stone City". "Tashkugar" actually means stone city in the Uyghur language.
The Karasu Pass: as the sign indicates, this checkpoint is your ticket out of Tashkurgan county into Tajikistan. Photo: Zhang Nanyi
The tourism plan doesn't appear to impress a 40-year-old guesthouse and small grocery store owner surnamed Ma, who declined to give her full name.
Ma and her family migrated from Hanzhong county in Shaanxi Province 10 years ago.
"The business here brings in a relatively low income because the tourism season is only half a year due to the harsh plateau weather," said Ma. "I'll wait until my son's college graduation, then move back home."
Outside Ma's shop, the eagle has landed: a statue in the center of the downtown square represents the ethnic spirit of the Tajiks, according to town publicity director Lalihan.
314 Highway: also known as Karaloram Highway to the rest of the world, this long and winding road can take you to Pakistan. Photo: Zhang Nanyi
Tashkurgan used to be a one-street town: "One trumpet blast fills the whole town. One street lamp lights up the whole town. One rotation of a rolling naan bread can cross the whole town," as the old local saying goes.
Change has come to the county town since construction began across a 434,000 square-meter urban area in 1998. Modern buses move down eight broad new boulevards with trees planted in the center divider, bathroom-white tile shiny shops and restaurants lining the sidewalks.
The construction has benefited Sichuan migrant worker Shi Xianglu, one of a team working on a new symbolic gateway at the Khunjerab Pass to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China. He came here six years ago and found no shortage of work. "I don't have any plan to leave in the near future," said Shi. "My income increases every year. I'm happy with it."
The eagle statue: the spanking new sculpture in the city square symbolizes the ethnic spirit of the Tajik people. Photo: Zhang Nanyi
Urban and rural construction might now finally be putting Tashkurgan on the map, but weather and geography still hinder economic development, said Pan Zhiping of the academy.
At an average altitude of about 4,000 meters, and with an 8,885-kilometer national frontier, Tashkurgan is not your typical tourism destination: It takes at least 14 hours and 3,000 yuan to get from Beijing to Tashkurgan county town via two local flights and a local bus.
"Tashkurgan will eventually become a first-class draw when tourists tire of the traditional attractions," said Pan, "but that takes time."
Despite some geographic and political disadvantages, "Tashkurgan has unique advantages in terms of its natural and historical characteristics," said Zang Aiwu, the county Party secretary.
Banderi family photo: the Banderi family live in the suburbs of Tashkurgan county town. The two young men in military uniform are currently studying at a military academy in Beijing. Photo: Huang Lei
The 2-billion yuan Xia Diban hydroelectric power plant will be finished next year to meet rising industrial demand, said Zang.
"By forging the county into a bridgehead for central Asia and southern Asia economic zones of interest, people living at the far end of western China will gain opportunities to enjoy the same living standards as metropolitans," Zang said.
Gold, crystal, copper and iron lie beneath the surface of Tashkurgan awaiting investment and exploration, said county vice chief Meng Jiannong.
More skeptical is Wenzhou businessman Shuai Yikan, one of the pioneering entrepreneurs who opened a mine here.
"The price of tungsten I exploit here varies dramatically in response to the international price fluctuations," he said.
"The exploitation season also only lasts about six months, plus the work is more energy-consuming as it's performed at such an altitude.
"I think further investment needs a more careful reconsideration and evaluation."
It's not always easy to gather proper and reliable data on the ground, said county vice chief Meng. Industrial research and development cannot happen overnight.
"Once the power plant is fully functional," said Party secretary Zang, "every industrial complex will have plenty of electricity to go round and that will solve a lot of problems.
