Western China - news and development

[ahojunk]

Xinjiang sees robust textile, garment exports
2016-12-18 10:22 | Xinhua | Editor: Mo Hong'e

Textile and garment exports in northwest China's Xinjiang saw robust growth in the first 10 months this year, boosted by the Belt and Road Initiative, local customs authorities have said.

Exports of textiles and garments from Xinjiang reached 43 billion yuan (6.2 billion U.S. dollars) during the Jan.-Oct. period, up 49 percent from the same period last year, according to the customs of Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are two major markets for Xinjiang's textile products, and exports to Russia also saw rapid growth.

Xinjiang, as a major cotton producer, accounted for more than 60 percent of the country's total cotton output last year. The region has made it a priority to develop the industry with preferential policies. It has attracted investment from eastern coastal regions to set up factories in Xinjiang.

 

[ahojunk]

Remote Xinjiang county reached by regular flight
2016-12-20 16:57 | Xinhua | Editor: Mo Hong'e

A flight connecting Qiemo, a far-flung corner of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Urumqi, the regional capital, was launched Monday.

The round-trip flight, operated by China Southern Airlines, departs Urumqi every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and stops in Korla City, before arriving at Qiemo.

The CAAC Xinjiang Regional Administration said it was the first civilian airline since the the last passenger plane service at the old Qiemo airport expired five years ago.

Qiemo is over 1,100 kilometers from Urumqi, and 720 km from Korla. The flight will cut travel time between Qiemo and Urumqi to 2.5 hours, from 15 hours by road.

The new airport has 120,000 passengers a year, and a cargo handling capacity of 480 tonnes per year. The operating flight will receive state subsidies of about 7 million yuan (about 1 million U.S. dollars) every year.


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This will help with connectivity within Xinjiang.
Qiemo is an isolated place, south of the Taklamakan Desert.
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[ahojunk]

Flight connects Qiemo and Urumqi launched
2016-12-20 08:39 | Xinhua | Editor:Xu Shanshan

The flight connecting Qiemo, a far-flung corner of Xinjiang Region, and Urumqi, the regional capital, was launched on Monday.

Qiemo is over 1,100 kilometers from Urumqi, and 720 km from Korla. The flight will cut travel time between Qiemo and Urumqi to 2.5 hours, from 15 hours by road.

The new airport at Qiemo has a capacity 120,000 passengers a year, and a cargo handling capacity of 480 tonnes per year. The operating flight will receive state subsidies of about 7 million yuan (about 1 million U.S. dollars) every year.

Dec. 19, 2016 on a plane flying from Urumqi to Qiemo shows the Tianshan Mountain in Xinjiang Region. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

Stewardesses demonstrates safety instruction on a plane flying from Urumqi to Qiemo in Xinjiang Region, Dec. 19, 2016. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

Dec. 19, 2016 on a plane flying from Urumqi to Qiemo shows the Qarqan River in Xinjiang Region. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

A flight arrives at the Yudu Airport in Qiemo County, Xinjiang Region, Dec. 19, 2016. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

A flight arrives at the Yudu Airport in Qiemo County, Xinjiang Region, Dec. 19, 2016. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

Dec. 19, 2016 on a plane flying from Urumqi to Qiemo shows the Tianshan Mountain in Xinjiang Region. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenyao)

 

[ahojunk]

Xinjiang becomes playground for 30 million winter visitors
By MAO WEIHUA/ZHAO XINYING (China Daily)
Updated: 2016-12-19 07:30:09

Children play on a sled at a scenic spot in Kanas, Altay prefecture. ZHAO GE/XINHUA​

Musicians play an ancient Uygur instrument in Kashgar prefecture. JIN WEI/CHINA DAILY​

More than 30 million tourists are expected in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region this winter, between November and April, officials predict.

The winter visitors, drawn to the region's snow-capped scenery and diverse cultural attractions, are expected to spend about 18 billion yuan ($2.6 billion).

Winter is becoming a popular time to visit Xinjiang, which borders Russia, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and other countries. The season can last for five months or more, according to Gul Ablim, deputy director of the region's tourism administration.

"The length of the season supports a lot of ski resorts in the valleys of the Tianshan Mountains' northern slopes.

"In addition, winter in Xinjiang is milder than that in Northeast China, which means it's suited to a wider range of ages and different physical conditions," she said.

Chen Hongjin, general manager of the domestic trip department at leading Chinese online travel agency lvmama.com, recommended winter tourists visit resorts like Tianchi Lake near the Tianshan Mountains and Kanas Lake in northern Xinjiang's Altay prefecture.

In addition to Xinjiang's geographic and climatic advantages, Chen said its deserts, ancient Silk Road relics and the mix of ethnic groups such as Uygur, Hui and Kazak add to its attractions.

A foreign tourist chats with a resident of an ancient town in Kashgar. DENG JIAPING/CHINA DAILY​

"Many people know that traveling to Xinjiang in summer is wonderful, while ignoring the fact that the region is equally worth visiting in winter," he said.

"Whether skiing or admiring the spectacular snow-covered landscapes, whatever activities tourists take part in, I bet they will be fascinated by the amazing scenery and cultural events－the likes of which they'll have never seen before."

To make full use of the region's resources, Gul Ablim said her office has been working to promote winter tourism over the past decade. A winter tourism industry exposition was launched in the region in 2006, becoming a national exhibition and fair in 2012.

Hosting China's 13th National Winter Games, which were held in Xinjiang from Jan 20 to 30, provided a further boost with the surge in tourists around the time of the event.

As of late March, Xinjiang had welcomed 100,000 more tourists visiting in groups than it did the previous winter, representing a year-on-year increase of 123 percent.

January alone saw more than 92,000 tourists from overseas visiting Xinjiang, while 77,000 came in February and 105,000 in March.

Nevenka Girvan, a retired businesswoman from Australia who has traveled to Xinjiang in both summer and winter, said she enjoyed the colder months for the clean air, beautiful scenery and the interesting mix of winter activities such as riding in a horse-drawn sleigh, sledding and horse racing on ice.

The 65-year-old said she has found Xinjiang's winters to be quite mild, with plenty to keep her occupied.

To better exploit Xinjiang's potential as a major destination for winter trips and attract more tourists from both China and abroad, Gul Ablim said the autonomous region is working to draft preferential policies and speed up construction of travel facilities.

"Places suitable for winter trips in northern Xinjiang－such as in Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture, Altay prefecture and Changji Hui autonomous prefecture－are building ski resorts," she said.

Winter scene in Altay. HE ZHONG/CHINA DAILY​

Contact the writers at zhaoxinying@chinadaily.com.cn

 

[TaiShang]

89.6% of houses for villagers reconstructed in quake-hit Tibet
2016-12-10 10:19 Xinhua

Over 16,000 people were affected by the quake which hit the county on April 25, 2015. More than 3,000 residential buildings were badly damaged. The local government has reconstructed 89.6% of houses for villagers so far. The rest will be finished by the end of the year. (Xinhua/Liu Dongjun).

Villagers pose for photo in front of their new house in Gyirong County of Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Dec. 7, 2016. ​

Good government/governance, happy citizens.

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Kazak people hold goat grabbing event in NW China's Xinjiang

Source: Xinhua | 2016-12-25

People of the Kazak ethnic group participate in Buzkashi match during a local ice and snow festival in Hami prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Region, Dec. 24, 2016. Buzkashi, a traditional sports event meaning "goat grabbing", was listed as a state intangible cultural heritage in 2008. (Xinhua/Li Hanchi)

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Quiz: Which agricultural product is Hami famous for? Tell me.

@ahojunk , @long_ , @AndrewJin , @oprih

 

[ahojunk]

Quiz: Which agricultural product is Hami famous for? Tell me.

@ahojunk , @long_ , @AndrewJin , @oprih

Hami melon.

 

[TaiShang]

Hami melon.

My favorite fruit in summer. Much cheaper in Mainland China than in Taiwan.

 

[ahojunk]

My favorite fruit in summer. Much cheaper in Mainland China than in Taiwan.

View attachment 363425

We call it rockmelon in Aussieland.

 

[TaiShang]

Urumqi airport sees record number of travelers
Xinhua, December 29, 2016

In 2016, 20 million people traveled through the airport in Urumqi, capital of China's Xinjiang Region, according to local airport authorities.

The Urumqi Diwobao International airport saw 10 million tourists in 2011, and has been growing by two million each year since, the airport said in a statement.

Currently, 33 Chinese and foreign airlines have operations at the Urumqi airport, which is connected to 100 cities in China and overseas.

Urumqi will become an international hub, connecting East Asia with Central Asia, Western Asia and Europe, the statement said.

By the end of 2020, the number of tourists will reach 30 million, it said.

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[TaiShang]

Tibet goes cashless
Xinhua, December 29, 2016

While Tibet evokes images of ancient traditions for many tourists, out-of-towners are discovering they don't have to give up modern conveniences when they travel in the far western region.

A tourist from southeast China's Fujian Province was pleasantly surprised to be able to pay through Alipay at a fast food chain in downtown Lhasa.

"I never thought I could enjoy the same convenience as in [eastern] cities," he said.

The restaurant opened in March, and within a month, customers no longer had to pay in cash.

"Mobile payments have not only improved efficiency, but also save tourists a lot of time withdrawing money from the ATM," said the store's manager.

Li, a 44 year-old taxi driver, worked at a construction site in Lhasa before a friend suggested he register on ride-hailing platforms to earn some extra money.

"I tried it and found the market really promising," he said. "I can earn 120 yuan (about 17 U.S. dollars) a day, and my income can triple or even quadruple during peak seasons."

Going cashless has become the new normal for Tibetans Chinese.

Restaurants, souvenir shops, and movie theaters all provide online payment services. QR codes have become common on vendor booths selling Tibetan jewelry.

Figures from the Tibet communication administration bureau indicate the number of Internet users in Tibet had reached 1.639 million as of March.

An account statement from Alipay also showed that 83.3 percent of payments in Tibet were conducted via mobile phones in 2015, topping the country for four years in a row.

"This year's online transactions rose significantly compared to previous years," said Norbu, an employee at a People's Bank of China branch in Lhasa.

"Partly because more stores accept online payments, but more importantly, it shows a change in consumption and payment habits among the public in Tibet," he said.

As Jigme, a young Tibetan man, noted, "Paying online has become part of our lives."

 

[TaiShang]

Gigantic Uygur meat pancake served in Xinjiang
2016-12-23

Cooks bake a giant nang of 3.65 meters in diameter during an cultural event in Qiemo county, Xinjiang Region on December 19, 2016. The Uygur traditional crusty pancake was made with 300 kilograms of flour, 200 kilograms of mutton and 60 kilograms of onions. (Photo: China News Service/Wang Xiaojun)

Cooks bake a giant nang of 3.65 meters in diameter during an cultural event in Qiemo county, Xinjiang Region on December 19, 2016. The Uygur traditional crusty pancake was made with 300 kilograms of flour, 200 kilograms of mutton and 60 kilograms of onions. (Photo: China News Service/Wang Xiaojun)

 

[ahojunk]

Key state lab to research "Tibet's bread & butter"
Source:Xinhua Published: 2016/12/31 10:31:56

Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has set up its first key state lab, bringing talent and funding to research barley and yaks on the plateau.

The lab was co-constructed by the local Tibetan government along with the Ministry of Science and Technology, said Trinley Wangyel, director of the regional department of science and technology.

Plateau barley and yaks are essential for Tibetan farmers and herders, he said.

The lab will focus on exploring the genetics of barley and yaks, to create better seeds, improve husbandry, and increase grain and meat output, he said.

"A key state lab brings top level funding and policy favors. Accordingly, the regional government has to put in at least five million yuan (about 720,770 US dollars) every year to fund research," he said.

Lab director Nigma Tashi, who also heads Tibet Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, said the lab will safeguard Tibet's grain.

There are more than 70 researchers at the lab, and it is aiming to become a top lab in China for plateau barley and yaks in the next five years, Nigma added.

 

[ahojunk]

Urbanization to unleash China's growth potential
2017-01-03 10:14 | Xinhua | Editor: Gu Liping

China's urbanization drive will boost domestic consumption and investment in the future, analysts have said.

The country aims to add 100 million urban residents during 2016 to 2020, while enabling 100 million rural residents to live in towns and cities in central and western regions.

Population concentration together with improvement in livelihoods will expand demands in consumer services, said Chi Fulin, director of the China Institute for Reform and Development.

It is estimated that if migrant workers spend as much as urban residents, the country's consumption will swell by over 1 trillion yuan.

Besides, every percentage of urbanization is predicted to translate into 3.7 percent investment growth. When 400 million people bid adieu to villages in the next 10 to 20 years, they will directly stimulate investment demands of 40 trillion yuan.

In 2015, permanent urban residents account for 56.1 percent of the country's population, a rate expected to be hit 60 percent by 2020.

Such urbanization promises opportunities for China's development, said Li Yang, academician with Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

China's vast rural areas are huge markets for living environment improvement, garbage disposal and infrastructure upgrading, Li said.

 

[ahojunk]

Night view of cherry blossoms after rain in SW China's Kunming
(Xinhua) 13:18, January 07, 2017

People view cherry flowers at night on a street in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 6, 2017. Hundreds of blooming cherry trees became a beautiful night scenery after a light rain Friday. (Xinhua/Yang Zongyou)

Cherry flowers are seen at night on a street in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 6, 2017. Hundreds of blooming cherry trees became a beautiful night scenery after a light rain Friday. (Xinhua/Yang Zongyou)

Cherry flowers are seen at night on a street in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 6, 2017. Hundreds of blooming cherry trees became a beautiful night scenery after a light rain Friday. (Xinhua/Yang Zongyou)


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I think the Cherry blossoms look more pretty during the day.
Kunming is a lovely city, now more accessible with the Shanghai-Kunming HSR.

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[ahojunk]

I managed to stumble on photos of Kunming cherry blossoms in the daytime.

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Scenery of winter cherry blossoms in China's Kunming
(Xinhua) 17:57, January 09, 2017

While people in north China are celebrating a world of ice and snow, citizens in Kunming embrace sunshine and flowers.

People walk under winter cherry blossoms in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 9, 2017. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

Photo taken on Jan. 9, 2017 shows winter cherry blossoms in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

Cars run past winter cherry blossoms in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 9, 2017. While people in north China are celebrating a world of ice and snow, citizens in Kunming embrace sunshine and flowers. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

People walk under winter cherry blossoms in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 9, 2017. (Xinhua/Lin Yiguang)

While people in north China are celebrating a world of ice and snow, citizens in Kunming embrace sunshine and flowers.