14 minute read
The launch of direct flights between Yerevan and Urumqi has established a new air link connecting Armenia with China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, bringing together two places whose histories are closely tied to the ancient Silk Road.
For centuries, the Silk Road connected East and West, allowing goods, cultures and people to move across continents.
Today, the Yerevan-Urumqi route revives that connection in a modern form, linking two destinations that once played important roles along this historic trade network.
For Armenia, the direct route to Urumqi opens fresh opportunities to expand tourism, business ties and people-to-people exchanges with China.
Beyond improving travel, the new connection also creates greater potential for cooperation in trade, logistics, investment and cultural exchange.
The route, which China Southern Airlines has recently increased to six flights a week, also illustrates how the Silk Road has evolved over time. Where caravans once carried silk, jade, spices and other goods across deserts and mountain passes, today's connections rely on aviation, logistics and modern transport infrastructure, bringing Armenia and China closer together.
Located in northwestern China, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is the country's largest province-level administrative division. Long known as China's gateway to Central Asia, Xinjiang has undergone significant economic development in recent years, strengthening its role as a bridge between China, Central Asia and Europe and becoming an important hub for Belt and Road cooperation.
Sharing borders with Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and India, the province occupies one of the most strategically important locations in China.
Its capital, Urumqi, serves as the region's political, economic and cultural center. It is also one of western China's main transportation and logistics hubs, connecting China with Central Asian markets and broader international transport networks.
Scholars have offered different interpretations of the origin of the name "Urumqi," including the possibility that it comes from the Mongolian language. According to one widely told account, Genghis Khan entered the region in search of grasslands and, upon reaching the area, described it as a "beautiful pasture,” which the name means.
Nestled between the Gurbantunggut Desert to the north and the Taklamakan Desert to the south, Urumqi reflects the distinctive geography and long history of Xinjiang.
A Historic Silk Road Crossroads
Xinjiang has for centuries stood at the heart of the ancient Silk Road, where its Northern, Central and Southern land routes converged. In its earliest days, it was primarily a jade trading route rather than a silk route, earning it the name the Jade Road.
The region's ethnic and cultural diversity is rooted in this long history of exchange. The Uyghurs are one of China's 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities. Xinjiang’s total population is over 20 million. Aside from Uyghurs it is also home to many other ethnicities, namely Han and Kazakhs, among others.
Among Urumqi's most recognizable landmarks is the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, an Islamic-style marketplace that brings together traditional architecture, ethnic commerce, tourism and entertainment. Often described as one of the world's largest bazaars by scale, it reflects both the enduring legacy of the Silk Road and the cultural diversity of Xinjiang.
Today, Urumqi is a dynamic modern city that welcomes visitors from across China and abroad, with the Grand Bazaar remaining one of its most popular attractions.
Every day, thousands of people visit the marketplace for shopping and sightseeing. Countless stalls and shops offer aromatic spices, fine jade, colorful silk garments, famous local fruits and a wide selection of traditional foods, many of which were once traded along the ancient Silk Road.
Walking through the bazaar is a sensory experience. The aroma of grilled lamb skewers fills the air, freshly ground spices add their distinctive fragrance, and Uyghur performers in traditional dress bring music and dance to the lively streets. Alongside modern restaurants, visitors can sample Xinjiang naan, a traditional Central Asian flatbread that remains a daily staple for Uyghur and other ethnic communities. The marketplace also includes a museum dedicated to the history of naan and the traditional methods used to bake it.
Coffee has not traditionally been part of everyday life in the region. In recent years, however, growing interest among younger people has inspired local bakers to experiment with new ideas. One result is naan coffee, a viral trend in which espresso or lattes are served inside a hollowed-out, cup-shaped piece of freshly baked naan. The combination highlights how local culinary traditions continue to evolve while remaining rooted in the region's heritage.
Just outside downtown Urumqi, a major museum presents a comprehensive overview of Xinjiang's development, highlighting the region's transformation across infrastructure, industry, culture, and public services. Through exhibits on the modernization of formerly underdeveloped villages, the growth of the oil industry, the preservation of cultural heritage, and large-scale government investment, the museum illustrates the broad changes that have shaped Xinjiang in recent decades.
A Modern Community
Alongside its economic growth, Urumqi has expanded public services at the community level.
On July 13, 2022, during his visit to Guyuanxiang Community in Tianshan District, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with residents of all ethnic groups. Xi issued recommendations to local officials, who are working diligently to care for all ethnic groups. The authorities are doing their utmost to provide practical assistance, deliver quality services, and solve problems for the people in the community.
Xi said that all ethnic groups should be closely united like the “seeds of a pomegranate.”
Xi Jinping has pointed out that "Cultural identity is the deepest form of identity. It is the root of ethnic unity and the soul of all ethnic groups."
Across the city, neighborhood service centers offer residents a wide range of government, legal, employment and social services through one-stop facilities designed to make daily life more convenient.
One such example is the South Community of Yuejin Street on Heijiashan Street in Tianshan District. Home to nearly 1,500 households and more than 4,000 residents from different ethnic backgrounds, the neighborhood has undergone extensive redevelopment in recent years.
Local officials say the area once relied on coal-fired heating and struggled with muddy roads, as well as outdated water and sewage systems. Heijiashan was among the first neighborhoods selected for redevelopment under Urumqi's urban renewal program.
"As you can see today, the area has been transformed with modern high-rise residential buildings, a pleasant living environment and well-developed public facilities," a local official told Armenpress during a visit to the community center.
The one-stop service center brings together a range of public services, including government administration, public security, utility assistance, legal support, employment services and community mediation. It also offers vocational training, flexible employment opportunities and entrepreneurship programs aimed at supporting local residents.
The community places particular emphasis on education. Among its programs are English-language classes for children. Grace, a Uyghur English teacher, said that learning English remains valuable for younger generations.
"I graduated in the early 2000s," she told Armenpress. "Back then, learning English was very much in demand."
"Everyone studied English in college, and later we had some training centers. I chose English for my master's degree. Then I worked in a primary school in Urumqi for four years."
"Today, children also need to learn English for their future careers," she said while showing a brightly decorated classroom filled with paintings created by her students.
Beyond education, the center provides childcare, programs for young people, senior care and volunteer initiatives. It also hosts regular cultural events and community activities that encourage interaction among residents from different ethnic backgrounds.
Natural Resources and Industry
In addition to its historical importance, Xinjiang is one of China's most resource-rich regions. Much of its landscape is dominated by the Altai, Kunlun and Tian Shan mountain ranges, while the region also holds significant reserves of coal, oil and natural gas.
These resources have played a central role in Xinjiang's economic growth, helping make it China's largest producer of natural gas and one of the country's strategic energy bases. In 2025, authorities opened a new passenger terminal at Urumqi's airport, while the older terminals were converted for cargo operations as Belt and Road trade continued to expand.
Although Xinjiang has traditionally been known for agriculture, its economy has become increasingly diversified. The region is one of the world's leading producers of cotton and has also developed into a major manufacturing base for solar panel components.
Viticulture has grown as well. China's largest winery, Changyu, operates the Château Changyu Baron Balboa winery in Shihezi, which has become a popular destination for visitors.
A Growing Belt and Road Hub
Xinjiang has steadily strengthened its position as one of China's key Belt and Road hubs. During a visit to the Urumqi International Land Port Area in 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that, as Belt and Road cooperation advances, Xinjiang is no longer a remote frontier but has become a core area and an important hub.
With its strategic location, abundant natural resources, expanding industrial base and developing logistics infrastructure, Xinjiang continues to deepen China's connections with Central Asia and Europe.
The launch of direct flights between Yerevan and Urumqi further underlines this growing connectivity, establishing a new air bridge between Armenia and western China while building on the historic links created along the ancient Silk Road.
Tourism
Throughout the 2020s, Xinjiang has become one of China's leading destinations for domestic tourism, drawing visitors with its dramatic landscapes, rich cultural heritage and historic Silk Road landmarks.
From vast deserts and mountain ranges to centuries-old bazaars and diverse cultural traditions, Xinjiang combines ancient history with modern development, reinforcing its role as China's gateway to Central Asia and an important hub along the modern Silk Road.
While caravans once crossed deserts and mountain passes carrying goods between East and West, today's connections are shaped by aviation, logistics and digital infrastructure, opening new possibilities for closer ties between Armenia and China.