The 2025 Taklimakan Rally roared to life on May 20 in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with drivers and their teams navigating the region's rugged deserts and expansive landscapes in a thrilling race set to conclude on June 1.
This year's Taklimakan Rally charges through three key regions: Aksu Prefecture, Luopu and Yecheng County in Hotan Prefecture, and Makit County in Kashgar Prefecture. The event showcases 23 motorcycles and 105 vehicles, with participants braving extreme heat and challenging terrains across roughly 5,200 kilometers, including 2,350 kilometers of timed special stages through deserts and Gobi plains, before wrapping up in Makit County.
The Taklimakan Rally, often dubbed "China's Dakar," is widely regarded as the country's most challenging cross-country rally. Since its inaugural event in 2005, the race has continued to evolve. This year, it introduced a new energy vehicle category for the first time, with 10 vehicles competing in the debut class.
2025 Taklimakan Rally kicks off in Xinjiang
2025 Taklimakan Rally kicks off in Xinjiang
China and Canada are complementary in their resources and the two countries can tap the full potential of their win-win cooperation for their good, former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien said in Beijing.
He made the remarks during an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG) ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to China.
Carney will pay an official visit to China from January 14 to 17, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Monday.
"I hope that the visit of the prime minister of Canada, it will be a new departure in the relation between Canada and China. And because of the turmoil created by the president of the United States, we are looking for diversifying our economy with other nations. And my judgment always said that China and Canada are complementary. You have the people, we have the land, we have the resources, and we have some people, too. So, we can help each other to grow in peace and prosperity," he said.
Regarding how to resolve differences, Chretien said dialog is always the best way out.
"I believe in dialog. If we have disagreement, we have to talk about it. But at the end, every nation is a sovereign nation. So, we have to respect that, too. It's internal decision by the people of China to decide the future of China like it is for the Canadians to decide the future of Canada," he said.
China, Canada should leverage complementarity for mutual benefit: former Canadian PM
