Along the Silk Road: Stories of Two-Way Engagement from Xi'an

XI'AN, China, Nov. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from HSW.cn: 

From wheat fields in Kazakhstan to solar farms in Uzbekistan and traditional medicine clinics in Astana, a new documentary series explores the growing economic and people-to-people ties between the northwestern Chinese city of Xi'an and Central Asia.

Titled Along the Silk Road, the eight-part multilingual mini-documentary follows Chinese companies expanding into Central Asian markets, Chinese professionals building careers abroad, and international students and professionals living in Xi'an. Through personal stories, it examines how trade, technology, healthcare and education are bringing the two regions closer together.

The series was produced under the guidance of the Publicity Department of the CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, drawing on the media resources of Huashang Media and the international communication network of the Chinese Business International Communication Center.

Rather than focusing solely on major infrastructure projects and trade figures, the production team uses individual experiences to show how regional cooperation is shaping everyday life.

From summit commitments to everyday cooperation

Three years after Xi'an hosted the China-Central Asia Summit, economic and cultural exchanges between Shaanxi province and Central Asian countries have expanded across several sectors, including agriculture, logistics, healthcare and education.

New logistics facilities have strengthened transport links. The Xi'an terminal in Kazakhstan began operations in February 2024, followed by the China-Xi'an Kazakhstan Terminal in Almaty in June 2025. The two facilities have helped shift freight connections from individual routes towards a more integrated logistics network, with overall transport costs falling by 30% to 50%, according to project figures.

Trade has also grown. Shaanxi's imports and exports with Central Asian countries reached 11.83 billion yuan ($1.65 billion) in 2025, up 37.2% from a year earlier, making Central Asia one of the province's fastest-growing foreign trade markets.

People-to-people exchanges have developed alongside commercial ties. More than 2,900 students from the five Central Asian countries are studying at 33 universities in Shaanxi. By mid-August 2025, the China-Kazakhstan Centre for Traditional Medicine had recorded more than 46,000 patient visits. Shaanxi has also established 14 international sister-city relationships across Central Asia, covering all five countries.

For the documentary's creators, however, figures alone cannot fully explain how these connections are developing.

To capture the human dimension of regional cooperation, the production team spent 98 days filming across three countries and six cities, visiting farms in North Kazakhstan Region, clinics in Astana, industrial facilities and a solar power project in Uzbekistan.

Eight episodes, four themes of cooperation

The eight episodes follow four recurring themes: agriculture, healthcare, clean energy and young people. Together, they explore how economic partnerships can develop into lasting personal and professional relationships.

The first story begins in Kazakhstan's North Kazakhstan Region, where Xi'an-based Aiju Group has spent more than a decade developing agricultural operations.

Through contract farming, the company has introduced Chinese agricultural expertise while working with local farmers. Project manager Lu Peijie has been based in Kazakhstan for 11 years, building close relationships with local employees. Farmer Azamat says the arrangement has helped him overcome difficulties in selling his crops.

Over the past decade, the project has developed facilities capable of producing 200,000 tonnes of flour and 300,000 tonnes of feed and oil products annually, alongside a contract farming base covering 1.5 million mu, or about 100,000 hectares.

Some of the flour produced in Kazakhstan is transported back to Xi'an, where it is used to make local dishes such as biangbiang noodles and oil-splashed noodles.

The healthcare episode turns to Astana, where the China-Kazakhstan Centre for Traditional Medicine has grown from an initial operation into a network of clinics and training programmes serving the wider Central Asian region.

The documentary follows Gao Feng, a Chinese representative at the centre, and Saya, a Kazakh student who spent five years studying acupuncture and tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) at Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine.

It also features Akram, a child with cerebral palsy whose rehabilitation journey has become an inspiration for Saya, as well as Chinese therapists Liu Zhen and Liu Shuai, who work with patients to improve their mobility.

Cooperation has extended into medical education and research. A Belt and Road joint laboratory focusing on traditional Chinese medicine and neurological disorders has been established at Nazarbayev University, while the Kazakh National Children's Hospital has opened a traditional Chinese medicine department.

The series then moves to Uzbekistan, where Chinese solar technology is being deployed in the country's renewable energy sector.

At the Buka solar power project near Tashkent, solar panels manufactured by LONGi have been installed as part of a 263-megawatt photovoltaic development. The equipment was transported from China to Uzbekistan via the China-Europe freight train service known as Chang'an Express.

In September 2025, the project's transmission line was completed, connecting the solar facility to the power grid in Tashkent Region. The project is expected to contribute to the country's clean energy supply, with its photovoltaic modules carrying a 25-year performance warranty.

The final episodes focus on people whose lives and careers span China and Central Asia.

Shaanxi entrepreneur He Cheng has spent more than two decades investing in Kazakhstan, including in textile and aluminium manufacturing. His work has also helped bring thousands of young Kazakhs to Shaanxi for educational opportunities.

Jiewei, a young man from Turkmenistan, has spent eight years studying in Xi'an and says he feels almost like a local. Fan Rong, from Tajikistan, is working to introduce Shaanxi-made new energy vehicles to his home market. Sulu, a young woman from Kazakhstan, uses the China-Europe freight network to transport goods in both directions and regards Xi'an as her second home.

Their experiences reflect a broader pattern of growing mobility among students, entrepreneurs and professionals between China and Central Asia.

Taking the stories to international audiences

The documentary is also part of a broader effort to communicate Xi'an's international engagement to audiences beyond China.

In October 2026, the eight episodes completed final editing, multilingual translation and expert review before entering a coordinated release campaign.

The series is being distributed in Chinese, English and Russian through domestic platforms including WeChat Channels, Douyin, Rednote, Weibo and Bilibili, as well as international platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, X, TikTok and Instagram.

The campaign has also involved media organisations and Chinese-language outlets overseas, including Kazakhstan's Rika TV and the newspaper Diapazon, South Africa's African Times, Egypt's China Weekly, Italy's New Overseas Chinese Network, Taya Media Network, the Africa International Communication Center, China TV in Russia and Chinese Headlines.

By combining economic reporting with personal narratives, Along the Silk Road seeks to present a more tangible picture of China-Central Asia cooperation.

The exchange is not one-way. Chinese businesses, technology and professional expertise are reaching Central Asian markets, while agricultural products, students, talent and commercial opportunities are flowing into Xi'an.

For the people featured in the series, the Silk Road is no longer simply a historical trade route or a line on a map. It is part of their working lives, education and personal relationships.

The documentary's central message is that regional cooperation is built not only through infrastructure and investment, but also through trust, communication and the everyday interactions that connect people across borders.

SOURCE HSW.cn