Heavy snow sweeps northwest China's Xinjiang, affecting transport

Heavy snow has hit multiple parts of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Wednesday, affecting transport and triggering emergency measures to ensure travel safety across the region.

Snowfall continued in various counties and cities of the Ili River Valley in Xinjiang on Wednesday.

The snow was particularly heavy in mountainous areas, with some places experiencing heavy snow to blizzards, leading to blocked road sections and stranded vehicles. Local government organized large machinery for multiple rounds of snow clearance to help trapped vehicles leave the affected sections.

"The vehicle was skidding badly on Daban (mountain pass). The traffic police helped us push the car and even deflated the tires (to increase traction). Their help was tremendous, and I'm very grateful to these officers," said Zhao Shijun, a driver.  

The Guozigou section of the G30 Lianyungang-Khorgas Expressway is the only road passage in and out of the Ili River Valley during winter.

Starting Wednesday afternoon, wind and snow intensified in the Guozigou section, with snow accumulation reaching nearly 20 centimeters at its deepest. Local traffic police implemented two-way traffic restrictions on the Guozigou section and turned back vehicles at the entrance of this section.

In the early hours of Thursday, the wind and snow conditions eased. Highway departments accelerated snow-clearing operations. Currently, there are no trapped or stranded vehicles within the Guozigou area.

Horgos City in Xinjiang welcomed its first snowfall this winter on Wednesday, accompanied by a strong temperature drop, with the minimum temperature expected to fall to minus 20 degrees Celsius.

"We've been looking forward to this snow for so long. We just want to go skiing at the ski resort right away, and we've already stocked up on tickets," said a local resident.

Local municipal management departments dispatched over 70 large snowplows to promptly clear city roads, addressing the impact of the snowy weather on travel.

The local meteorological department predicts that this snowy and cold weather will continue for another two to three days.

To cope with the snowy and cold weather, livestock officials in multiple parts of Xinjiang have been visiting herders door-to-door, guiding them in adopting cold protection and warmth preservation measures to ensure the safety of livestock through the winter.

Heavy snow sweeps northwest China's Xinjiang, affecting transport

A group of Japanese people took to the street in Tokyo on Thursday, demanding Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to retract her erroneous remarks concerning China's Taiwan region and opposing her plan to expand the military.

At a Diet meeting on Nov 7, Takaichi claimed that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, which has immediately sparked strong criticism at home and abroad.

Some protesters gathering near the National Diet Building were holding placards against Takaichi regime's efforts to incite war and promote xenophobia, while others read "smash military buildup budget," as Takaichi's blatant interference into China's internal affairs seems to be part of her attempt to lift Japan's military restrictions using the so-called external threats as an excuse.

"The China-Japan Joint Statement has already confirmed the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. Japan once invaded and occupied Taiwan for 50 years. Is Japan to repeat the disastrous policy? It's the Japanese people's responsibility to prevent that from happening," said a protester.

"Japan did invade China and killed many Chinese people in history. Instead of soul-searching, the Japanese government is seeking to do it again. This must not be allowed," said another protester.

In late November, the Japanese government approved a supplementary budget proposal for fiscal 2025 (April 2025-March 2026), boosting defense spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) ahead of schedule.

Japan's accelerated increase in defense spending and remilitarization attempts over the past few years have raised widespread concerns and opposition and reignited doubts about the country's future direction.

"The Constitution says armed forces 'will never be maintained,' yet Japan has self-defense forces now. This is self-contradictory. In nature it's no different from the situation before the end of the war," said another protester.

Japanese rally against PM, military buildup