On China's western frontier, legends shimmer in towns once vital to the ancient Silk Road. From the Taklamakan to the Pamirs, from Kanas to Turpan, we rattled through the desert and oasis to bring you a Xinjiang through the eyes of locals as they share their stories in a region undergoing unprecedented change. Follow us on our journey through this land of heritage and modernity.

2019 marks the 70th anniversary of China and Russia establishing diplomatic ties. The relationship between the two countries over the past decades has seen growing mutual understanding, with strong economic, political and cultural links forged between both sides. Today, both countries stand at the threshold of a new era amid a changing global landscape, with the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum acting as a key platform for further elevating the China-Russia relationship.