Ismail Shah, a PhD student from Wuhan, Hubei province, planned to return home through the pass.
"I chose this route because it's very near to my hometown. It takes about six hours to reach my home. It's very convenient and cheap," he said, adding that using this route costs about 1,500 yuan, whereas taking an airplane would be double the price.
Infographic:
A look at China's economy in Jan-Feb, 2026
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