Zhao is secretary of the Communist Party of China Committee of Dunhuang Academy

In 138 BCE and 119 BCE, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–24 CE) dispatched envoy Zhang Qian to the Western Regions twice, establishing the "Silk Road" between the East and West. For thousands of years, the Silk Road has facilitated political, economic, and cultural exchanges between the East and West and has had a far-reaching impact on the development of the civilizations of China, India, and Central Asian countries.