First tunnel completed on Kyrgyzstan section of China-Central Asia railway

The first tunnel on the Kyrgyzstan section of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway has been completed, marking fresh progress in construction of the cross-border railway, the project company said on Sunday.

Since full-scale civil construction on the Kyrgyzstan section began in June 2025, work has started on 27 tunnels, one of which has been completed, as well as 43 bridges and 88 sections of roadbed, according to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Co. Construction of infrastructure for 20 stations is also underway.

The railway will connect China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, providing a new transport link between China and Central Asia.

The project has also created jobs and supported local businesses during construction. More than 2,000 Kyrgyz workers have been employed in railway construction and related work, while more than 1,800 have received training in areas including civil engineering, machinery and steel structures, the company said.

Construction materials and equipment have also been sourced locally. All fuel used by the project is purchased locally, while more than 60 percent of major construction materials, including cement, are sourced in Kyrgyzstan, according to the company.

Environmental protection measures have been incorporated into construction, the company said. These include avoiding protected areas, restoring temporarily occupied land and designing passages to accommodate wildlife movement and livestock grazing.