The motorway between Shangri-La and Xiao Zhongdian in northwestern Yunnan province was completed in the morning of today, December 31.

Built by the Yunnan Construction and Investment Holding Group, it is the first part of the on-going highway program which aims to link Shangri-La and Lijiang - two of Yunnan’s most popular travel destinations - together.

Stretching about 24 kilogram, this newly-built section encompasses 21 bridges and 2 tunnels in all. Its designed speed is 80 kilometers per hour.

As the highest motorway in Yunnan and also the first one to be set up in its regions dominated by Tibetan population, the Shangri-La - Lijiang Highway will be 140 km long after completion.

It is believed that once this highway is opened, the transportation in northwest Yunnan will be greatly facilitated; and more significantly, an increasing number of local residents will gain benefits from the socio-economic development followed by. 

Writing by Yao Chengcheng; trans-edting by Wang Jingzhong; photographs provided by the Publiciy Office of the Diqing autonomous prefecture of the Tibetans