Qitai Base, located at the northern foot of Tianshan Mountain, is 202 km away from Nanshan Base and 46 km from the Qitai County. The base, seated in a basin which is about 1.5km from east to west and 2km from south to north, and 1730-1830m above the sea level, is surrounded by mountain ridges about 1900m above sea level. The place provides an enclosed environment for radio frequency interference. In 2010, the site was selected as an observing base of XAO.