The first tunnel on the Kyrgyz section of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway has been drilled through, marking a major milestone in the development of the cross-border route, the project company said Saturday.
According to China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company, a joint venture established by enterprises authorized by the three governments, the 209.6-meter-long Kosh Dobo North No. 2 tunnel is the first tunnel drilled through on the Kyrgyz section.
Construction began in June 2025. Since then, construction has begun on 27 tunnels, 43 bridges and 88 roadbed sections, while construction for 20 railway stations is also underway.
The railway is a landmark project between China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Once completed, it will provide a new rail link between China and Central Asia, running from Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, through the Kyrgyz border city of Jalalabad to the eastern Uzbek city of Andijan.
The total length of the railway will exceed 500 kilometers, including 304.84 kilometers in Kyrgyzstan.
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway marks milestone as first tunnel on Kyrgyz section drilled through
U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, arrived in Moscow on Saturday for talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Witkoff and Kushner landed at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport at 12:52 local time (0952 GMT). They were welcomed at the airport by Russia's special presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev.
Trump said Friday that the two U.S. negotiators were set to travel to Moscow and Kiev to seek chances to end the years-long Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Trump said at the White House that they were sent over to see "whether or not we can get something done" and "there may be a good chance that we'll do it."
Multiple media outlets reported earlier Friday that Witkoff and Kushner were set to visit Russia and Ukraine over the weekend.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later confirmed on social media that the two U.S. envoys would travel to Kiev by Sept. 6 following their visit to Moscow. He added that Ukraine would refrain from launching airstrikes during the negotiations and that Russia should reciprocate accordingly.
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe made an unannounced visit to Russia on August 25.
During a radio interview on Aug. 26, Trump suggested that Ratcliffe's visit to Russia could help efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Trump's envoys arrive in Moscow for talks aimed at ending Russia-Ukraine conflict
