Tunnel boring machine empowers construction of expressway tunnel in China

STORY: Tunnel boring machine empowers construction of expressway tunnel in China SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 25/26, 2023 DATELINE: Jan. 30, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:34 LOCATION: HEJING, China CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of TBM Shengli STORYLINE: The construction of Tianshan Shengli tunnel in NW China's Xinjiang is underway with the help of two tunnel boring machines. One of the machines named Shengli is 282-meter-long and weighs about 2,900 tonnes. It has an excavation diameter of more than 8 meters. The machine can drill 15 to 20 meters into the rock on average per day, about five times faster than traditional drilling and blasting. The Tianshan Shengli tunnel is one of the world's longest expressway tunnels under construction. Stretching for 22 km, the tunnel is a crucial part of the 1,300-km expressway linking Urumqi, capital of China's Xinjiang, with Yuli County, 50-km south of the city of Korla in central Xinjiang. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Hejing, China. (XHTV)

Japan PM Noda leaves Beijing

Japan PM Noda leaves Beijing

BEIJING, China - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda waves as he departs Beijing international airport on Dec. 26, 2011. Noda visited China on Dec. 25-26 for the first time since taking office in September. (Pool photo by Kyodo News)

Noda to visit China on Dec. 25-26

Noda to visit China on Dec. 25-26

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda arrives at his office on Dec. 14, 2011. Noda is set to visit China on Dec. 25-26 after his trip initially planned to take place Dec. 12-13 was postponed, government sources said the same day.

Japan PM Noda leaves Beijing

Japan PM Noda leaves Beijing

BEIJING, China - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda waves as he departs Beijing international airport on Dec. 26, 2011. Noda visited China on Dec. 25-26 for the first time since taking office in September. (Pool photo by Kyodo News)(Kyodo)

Noda to visit China on Dec. 25-26

Noda to visit China on Dec. 25-26

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda arrives at his office on Dec. 14, 2011. Noda is set to visit China on Dec. 25-26 after his trip initially planned to take place Dec. 12-13 was postponed, government sources said the same day. (Kyodo)