(260203) -- BECHAR, Feb. 3, 2026 (Xinhua) -- This undated aerial drone photo shows a view of the Western Mining Railway in Algeria. Algeria's Western Mining Railway, Africa's first heavy-haul desert railway, has opened to traffic, improving Algeria's national railway network and promoting connectivity and economic development in the country's southwestern areas. The 950-km railway, with 575 km constructed by China Railway Construction Corporation and Algerian state-owned companies, represents the largest infrastructure project undertaken by a Chinese company in Algeria. (China Railway Construction Corporation/Handout via Xinhua)