2023年9月11日，习近平总书记给红其拉甫海关全体关员回信，称赞他们“克服高寒缺氧等困难，扎根雪域边疆的国门一线，忠于职守，默默奉献，创造了不平凡的业绩，展现了新时代海关人奋发有为的精神风貌”，勉励他们“筑牢国门安全屏障，助推高质量发展、高水平开放，当好让党放心、让人民满意的国门卫士”。
In a reply letter to the staff of the Khunjerab Customs on September 11, 2023, President Xi Jinping praised that despite difficulties such as severe cold and oxygen deficiency in the high-altitude area, they remain devoted to their duties of defending the national gate in the frontier and have made remarkable achievements through silent sacrifice, demonstrating the enterprising spirit of customs workers in the new era. He also encouraged them to maintain the security of the national gate and promote high-quality development and high-standard opening up as customs guards living up to the expectations of the Party and the people.
红其拉甫口岸位于新疆喀什地区塔什库尔干塔吉克自治县境内，地处帕米尔高原，是目前世界海拔最高的海关监管口岸，也是中国与巴基斯坦的唯一陆路通道。这里自然环境恶劣，平均海拔4500米，空气含氧量不到平原地区的50%，气温最低可达零下40多度，全年无霜期仅82天，被称为“生命禁区”“死亡雪海”。
The Khunjerab Port, located on the Pamir Plateau in Tashikurgan Tajik Autonomous County, Kashgar, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, is the customs port with the highest altitude in the world. It is also the only land passage between China and Pakistan. With an average altitude of 4,500 meters, the area suffers a harsh natural environment. Here, the oxygen content is less than 50% of that in plain regions, the temperature can drop to minus 40 degrees Celsius, and there are only 82 frostless days each year. For this reason, the area is called the “forbidden zone of life” and “snow land of death.”
当地人用“天上无飞鸟，地上不长草，风吹石头跑，氧气吃不饱，四季穿棉袄”来描述这里的恶劣环境。新中国成立后，红其拉甫口岸曾处于半封闭状态。1969年，中国与巴基斯坦开始进行边境易货贸易。喀什海关派驻“明铁盖工作组”筹建红其拉甫海关，监管中巴边贸和旅客进出境。当时，红其拉甫海关第一任关长刘敬华带着“一顶帐篷七个人，三头牦牛一口锅”，在帕米尔雪峰下扎下了营盘，这就是著名的“帐篷海关”。红其拉甫建关之路就在这样艰苦的条件下拉开序幕。
A local saying depicts the harsh conditions of the area: “There are no birds flying in the sky and no grass growing on the ground; Strong winds can blow stones away. People suffer oxygen deficiency and have to wear cotton-padded coats all year round.” After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Khunjerab Port was once semi-closed. In 1969, China and Pakistan began barter trade in their border areas. The Kashgar Customs sent the Mingtiegai task force to establish the Khunjerab Customs to oversee border trade and personnel exchange between China and Pakistan. At the time, Liu Jinghua, the first head of the Khunjerab Customs, led seven people and three yaks to settle down in the snow-covered Pamirs. They shared a tent and a pot. Hence, their customs was nicknamed the “tent customs.” The construction of the Khunjerab Customs kicked off in such harsh conditions.
英雄的精神在这里传承，对祖国清澈的爱在这里奔流。多年来，一代又一代红其拉甫海关人坚守雪域高原、戈壁风口，抗缺氧、战严寒，以缺氧不缺斗志、缺氧不缺精神的勇气和毅力，忠诚履职，艰苦奋斗，形成了“特别能吃苦、特别能战斗、特别能忍耐、特别能奉献”的红其拉甫海关“四特”精神，体现着国门卫士对祖国的无限忠诚。
The heroic spirit of those pioneers has been passed down from generation to generation, so has been their love of the motherland. Across generations, the workers of the Khunjerab Customs hold fast to the snow-covered, desert plateau and fight oxygen deficiency and extreme cold. With strong morale, courage and perseverance, they remain devoted to their duties through hard work, and forge the spirit of the Khunjerab Customs – namely, “extremely hardworking, extremely high morale, extremely perseverant, and extremely dedicated,” which manifests the national gate defenders’ infinite loyalty to the motherland.