Motocross racers explore ancient trade route

Motocross racers set off on the 2015 China Off-road Rally from Daming Palace in Xi'an, Shaanxi province on Aug 30, according to Xinhua Online.

The rally is themed on the Silk Road, referring to the ancient trade route stretching from China to Central Asia and Europe. The event will last for a grueling 14 days, during which time the drivers will attempt to drive through the provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu, and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The route passes well-known ancient cities along the Silk Road, such as Jiuquan and Dunhuang.

To promote the construction of Silk Road Economic Belt – which was put forward by Xi Jinping during his visits to Kazakhstan and Indonesia in 2013 - the rally's organizers arranged events to display the belt's characteristics. The rally is expected to increase China’s communication with other countries in the fields of sports, tourism culture and automobile.

Some foreign teams also took part in this year's rally.

Two motocross racers start their off-road rally at Daming Palace in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, on Aug 30. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]

Edited by Jacob Hooson