In August 1947, tension was high on the Indian peninsula.
People on the street whispered, with both worry and anticipation in their eyes.
In the Governor's Mansion in Delhi.
He knew that the British Empire's rule on the land was coming to an end.
On the same day, two new states, India and Pakistan, were proclaimed.
People cheered and the sounds of celebration were everywhere.
But under the joy, there is also unease.
A group of men and horses in the Karakoram
A few years later, shortly after the end of the Second Indo-Pakistani War.
In a remote valley in the Karakoram Mountains, representatives of China and Pakistan met secretly.
By the morning of 1968, the Karakoram was foggy.
A team of men and horses is marching on the mountain road.
At first glance, they look like Pakistani troops, but if you look closely, you can see that their behavior is somewhat different.
They know that they are on an important mission, and every step could affect the relationship between the two countries.
The fog slowly cleared, and the sun shone on the team.
Their figures gradually disappeared at the end of the mountain road, leaving only a trail of footprints.
Indo-Pakistani War
In 1965, on the South Asian continent, the smell of gunpowder filled the air.
In the early days of the war, the Pakistani army was losing ground one after another.
The soldiers were exhausted, their faces full of frustration and helplessness.
In the Headquarters,
A young Pakistani soldier sits in a trench with a rifle in his hand.
His eyes stared blankly into the distance, wondering if he would live to see the sun rise tomorrow.
At the same time, there was jubilation in the Indian military camp.
The soldiers, wiping down the brand-new guns, talked and laughed with the belief that they would win.
U.S. officials in Washington are caught between a rock and a hard place.
They are worried,
When this news reached the Pakistani army, it was like a basin of cold water poured on the already low morale.
At this critical moment, Pakistan turned to China for help.
Soon, a steady stream of Chinese military supplies began to arrive in Pakistan.
At this critical moment, Pakistan turned to China for help.
Beijing did not hesitate and immediately pledged its full support.
soon
When the first batch of Chinese aid arrived at the Pakistani military camp, hope was rekindled in the eyes of the soldiers.
They carefully opened the box.
New weapons, ammunition, and supplies are all about the joy of everyone.
With the arrival of Chinese aid, the tide of the war began to change.
In the end, Pakistan paid a huge price.
But in the end, it has gained a foothold in this war.
Construction of the Karakoram Highway
In 1968, in the gorge of the Karakoram Mountains, a special team was struggling to make its way.
They were dressed in Pakistani military uniforms.
But his eyes and mannerisms reveal an unusual temperament.
They had a secret mission - to build the Karakoram Highway.
The air in the mountains is thin, and breathing becomes difficult.
The warriors stepped on gravel and cautiously advanced on the rugged mountain road.
A young warrior, wiping the sweat from his forehead, looked at the steep mountain wall in front of him.
In my heart, I have both the motivation of the mission and the worry of unknown difficulties.
At the Khunjerab Pass at an altitude of 4,700 meters, the engineering teams of China and Pakistan are busy on their respective sides.
On the Chinese side,
On the Pakistani side, progress has slowed down significantly.
A Chinese engineer stands at the mountain pass, looking out at the construction site on either side.
He frowned, secretly calculating the progress gap in his mind.
Soon, China made a decision, and the soldiers of the Xinjiang Construction Corps were ordered to assist Pakistan in building their stretch of road.
When the news reached the construction site.
After all, they are working in an unfamiliar country and facing a completely different environment and culture.
One sunny morning, the Chinese construction team officially entered Pakistan.
They bring advanced machinery and equipment and rich construction experience.
Over time, the outline of the Karakoram Highway became clearer.
This is a 1,032-kilometer road.
From Kashgar in Xinjiang, China in the north to Takot, Pakistan in the south, it winds like a giant dragon between the lofty mountains.
Dressed in a Pakistani military uniform, he speaks fluent Chinese dialects.
Seeing these coffins, the hearts of the fighters tightened.
But more than that, a sense of mission rises in my heart.
Huang Haibin wrote in his diary:
"The dense coffins on the road are for the road builders, that is, for us."
This is 10 years
Workers work day and night, bulldozers and excavators work day and night.
Stone boulders into pieces and turn steep slopes into flat ground.
It can be said that it has gone through one ghost gate after another.
"Look up at the sky, look down at the rocky beach, just take a step out of the door, and the rivers and mountains block the road."
Finally, in 1978, the Karakoram Highway was completed.
When the last stretch of pavement was paved, everyone burst into tears.
Standing on the mountainside and looking down, the number of large and small bridges and culverts is staggering.
Some straddle bottomless canyons.
Some cross hard rocks.
Every blast touches the hearts of the workers.
80,000 tons of cement, 30 million cubic meters of earth and stone.
Dubbed the "Eighth Wonder of the World", this highway is like a giant dragon hovering between the mountains.
However, the road is so costly.
A veteran stood in front of a monument on the side of the road, silently wiping tears from the corners of his eyes.
He thought of those comrades who had sacrificed, and his heart was both proud and regretful.
What a heavy price to pay.
With the completion of the road, its importance has become increasingly apparent.
Trucks from northern Pakistan are heading to the capital, Islamabad, and port cities in the south.
meanwhile
It is because of this path that China's connection with the South Asian subcontinent has become so close.