In addition to its 14 common prefecture-level cities, autonomous prefectures and regions, there are 12 unique county-level cities directly under the central government of the autonomous region. The peculiarity of these county-level cities is that they are all under the direct management of the divisions of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Although the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps does not undertake military combat tasks, its management system has adopted a highly unified system of party, government, military, and enterprises, and it is a special social organization that is separately listed in the state plan, because it undertakes the state's reclamation and border defense tasks.
These autonomous regions and county-level cities are no different from ordinary cities in terms of station construction. After continuous development and reform, 12 special cities have been gradually established that operate in the mode of "division and city integration", that is, the division level organs and the municipal people's government office together, and the unique management mode of two brands in one.
First of all, let's look at Shihezi City, where the Eighth Division of the Corps is stationed. Founded in 1976, Shihezi City is located in the southern part of the Junggar Basin, with flat terrain and abundant resources. In addition to having a railway station, an airport and convenient highway connections, it is even more eye-catching for its low-key but high-quality 211 university, Shihezi University.
Secondly, the 1st Division of the Corps is located in the city of Aral, which was established in 2002. It has a total population of 460,000, but its total area is as high as 6,923 square kilometers, adjacent to the city of Aksu in Aksu Prefecture. It is not only the origin of the Tarim River, but also an important node of the ancient Silk Road, with a long history and many historic sites.
The third special city is the 3rd Division of the Corps stationed in the city of Mapmushuk, which was also established in 2002. It is located in the southwest of Alar City, surrounded by Kashgar region. In recent years, Tumshuk has focused on its tourism resources such as desert scenery, agricultural culture and Tang Wangcheng ruins.
It was followed by Wujiaqu City, where the Sixth Division of the Corps was stationed, also established in 2002. Located in the north of Murumqi City, it has a unique geographical location, bordering the Tianshan Mountains in the south, alluvial plains in the middle, and deserts on the southern edge of the Junggar Basin in the north.
The fifth special city is Beitun City, where the 10th Division of the Corps is stationed. Founded in 2011, although it covers an area of 911 square kilometers, it has only 760,000 people. Located in the southwestern foothills of the middle of the Altai Mountains, it is known as the northernmost of the Corps' garrisons.
In addition to these five special cities established earlier, there are also seven newly established county-level cities directly under the autonomous region. Among them, the Second Division of the Corps was established in Menguan City, which is located in the middle of the ancient Silk Road and is an important transportation artery.
The other is Shuanghe City, where the Fifth Division of the Corps is stationed, which was established in 2014. Located in the territory of Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture in the northwest of the Tianshan Mountains, it is connected to Bole City, and has built the Shuanghe Governor's Mansion in history, preserving many ancient historical relics.
The third newly established county-level city directly under the autonomous region is Kekedala City, where the XPCC's Fourth Division is based, and was established in 2015. Located in the Ili River Valley in the western section of the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, it is one of the important border cities in China, managing the famous Khorgos port and the national economic development zone.
In addition, Kunyu City, where the 14th Division of the Corps is stationed, was established in 2016 and is located west of Hotan City, which is famous for the northern foothills of Kunlun Mountain and the abundance of beautiful jade. The Kunlun Mountain Grand Canyon in the territory is a high-profile 5A-level scenic spot.
The county-level cities directly under the direct jurisdiction of the autonomous region were established in Huyanghe City (established in 2019) in the 7th Division of the XPCC, Xinxing City (established in 2021) in the 13th Division of the XPCC, and Baiyang City (established in 2023), where the 9th Division of the XPCC was newly established. Baiyang City is located on the border of China and Kazakhstan, although the population size is not large, but due to its geographical advantages and convenient transportation conditions, it is regarded as an important port city of the "Belt and Road".
Due to their particularity, these county-level cities directly under the central government of the autonomous region highlight the diverse culture, history and geographical features of Xinjiang, and show the unique charm and potential of Xinjiang's diverse culture. They are not only administrative regions, but also historical and cultural ties connecting ancient and modern China and foreign countries, showing the unique and diverse charm and vitality of Xinjiang.