The Hotan-Ruoqiang railway was put into operation on June 16, forming the world's first railway loop line in the desert.

The railway runs 825 kilometers from Hotan city in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in the west to Ruoqiang county in Bayingolin Mongolian autonomous prefecture in the east.

It is a typical desert railway, 534 kilometers of which are distributed in the sandstorm area, accounting for 65 percent of the total length of the line.