China is now building a second highway across the deserts of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in the country's northwestern region.

Currently, members of the transportation division of the Chinese People's Armed Police (PAP) are working on the road. They are facing bad weather conditions and other difficulties.

So far, the PAP members have completed a 105 kilometer section of the highway, which will have an entire length of 425 kilometers and cost a total of 834 million yuan (US$140 million).

The Alar-Hotan Highway goes through the Taklamakan Deserts, to link up the southern and northern parts of the autonomous region. It is scheduled to be completed by July 2007.

(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2006)