The Urumqi High-tech industrial Development Zone (UHDZ) started construction of its Anningqu Special Town project on July 16, with an expectation to make the zone a cultural tourism-intensive center along the Belt and Road.

As a key project for Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the special town will be located northwest of UHDZ, 15 minutes' drive from downtown and 8 kilometers away from Urumqi Diwobao International Airport.

With an investment of 3 billion yuan ($442 million), the special town will be finished in two or three years and cover a total area of 1.8 square kilometers (180 hectares).

Huang Huang, president of UHDZ Investment and Development Group Co, said that the special town will be customized for high-end comprehensive service industry, which will group companies of technology, business, convention and exhibition and cultural tourism.

Hao Jianmin, head of the development zone, said that the special town will play a great role in increasing employment and income as well as promoting urban construction. The government will support the project to build a town integrating culture, innovation, sightseeing and special catering.

UHDZ holds a groundbreaking ceremony for the Anningqu Special Town project on July 16. [Photo/uhdz.gov.cn]

A design sketch shows what Anningqu Special Town at Urumqi High-tech industrial Development Zone will look like once completed. [Photo/uhdz.gov.cn]

A map of the Anningqu Special Town shows its convenient location. [Photo/uhdz.gov.cn]