Driving through Aksai Chin from Tibet to Xinjiang, so called " No man's lands"

[xizhimen]

Driving through Aksai Chin from Tibet to Xinjiang, so called " No man's lands"

It's an extremely high plateau, a land only animals roam, human traces are almost completely absent, but there is a small tiny Tibetan settlement over 5300 meters above the sea level, could be the highest human settlement in the world.
This region has tremendous strategic value cause it's the only path connecting Xinjiang and Tibet, If China lost this region, the only route from Xinjiang to Tibet will be cut off.

 

[xizhimen]

In China if you travel close to some border areas ( borders with unfriendly countries or remote borders very sparsely populated), you need to registered and get a pass before entering those areas.
Shiquanhe is the last town in Tibet before entering Xinjiang, it's in the middle of Aksai Chin close to India, for road trip takers they have to exchange their border region pass for Tibet with border region pass of Xinjiang. It's very quick and easy, this video shows how to do it.

 

[xizhimen]

Some rumors say that only foreigners need some special pass to go to certain areas in China, it's not true, this is also required with the Chinese citizens, China is very serious about border controls.