Train rolls into China's mysterious "no man's land" (3)

The railway can transport 30 million tonnes of goods annually and cut costs in half, according to estimates from the Urumqi Railway Bureau.

The railway links Lop Nur with Xinjiang's Hami Prefecture, located near the China-Mongolia border. From there, it connects with the country's main railway networks.

The construction of a highway from Lop Nur to Hami has increased human activities, local residents said. Restaurants, motels and entertainment venues have mushroomed in the former "no man's land."

"Cable television, mobile and Internet networks are all set up here. My wife has come to live with me and run a grocery store. It finally looks like a decent place to settle down," said Wang Junjie, who has been living in Lop Nur for eight years.