China has established a third new county in its Xinjiang region, this time along vital transport routes linking the country to South and Central Asia.
Analysts said the move underscored Beijing’s focus on governance and security along its far-flung western borders.
Sitting in southwestern Xinjiang near the Karakoram Range, Cenling county is a linchpin for China’s frontier security and regional development.
Its strategic value stems from its proximity to the borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the disputed western sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India.
The government of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region announced the establishment of Cenling county on March 26.
Although the announcement did not specify the county’s exact administrative divisions and boundaries, it said it would be administered by Kashgar prefecture.
