The Sky Roads of the Plateau: The Kang-Tibet and Qinghai-Tibet Highways Open to Traffic

Before liberation, Tibet had no highways. Mountains and barriers separated the borderlands from the heart of the motherland, leaving transportation cut off and roads treacherous. This not only kept Tibet isolated for a long time and seriously held back its economic and cultural development, but also made liberating and developing Tibet immensely difficult. To address this, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chairman Mao Zedong decided to build highways into Tibet alongside the advance of the army, setting the policy of “advancing and building at the same time.” The Southwest Bureau and Southwest Military Region made construction of the Kangzang Highway a major development project for the Southwest, assigning the Southwest Communications Department responsibility for surveying and design, technical guidance for construction, and the supply of materials and tools. The rear units of the 18th Army took part in the construction with all their strength.