The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region will invest heavily in more high-speed railways and highways to build a high-quality transportation network that can truly support the Belt and Road Initiative.

The region has decided to inject record funding of 170 billion yuan ($24.8 billion) into new roads, up nearly sixfold from 2016, and investment in roads, railways and airports this year will top the total funding for transportation infrastructure from 2011 to 2015.

"Poor transportation infrastructure is the biggest obstacle for Xinjiang to become China's trade hub linking countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt," Shokrat Zakir, chairman of the region, said on Sunday.