The following is taken from a Malaysian newspaper. The reporter was on a trip sponsored by the Chinese government. He is one lucky dude...
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A New Road for Xinjiang
BY
THEAN LEE CHENG
Sunday, 19 June 2016
Vibrant and colourful: Xinjiang hopes the world will start to see the region differently with the new developments and economic initiatives. There is so much more to the region than ethnic clashes, like this Tartar dance at a house party for visitors in a Uyghur village there.
With its new economic zones and startup aspirations, the revived region wants to show its diverse face to the world.
SINCE 2009, Xinjiang has been portrayed as a place of unrest and tension by the Western media, with Muslim Uyghurs struggling for more autonomy. But Xinjiang is more than Uyghurs. Although it is known as Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, there are several autonomous prefectures and counties within its border where other minority groups converge.
With a population of 23 million, China’s largest administrative division has about 50 minority groups – 13 main ones with Muslim Uyghurs and the Kazaks being the two largest.
During a recent 12-day visit to its capital Urumqi and other towns and cities, what was more evident were the developments currently taking place, from the village level right up to the new economic and technological zones and high speed train system.
Xinjiang’s days begin early and end late. Daylight stirs at 4.30am and the sun slips away only at about 10.30pm on most nights we were there. Working hours can be long, especially in villages where money is scarce and there are mouths to feed. Construction workers, whether building a retaining wall, a village road or bridge, continue to work even pass 8.30pm, as long as a pair sunglasses is still needed.
“They want to take advantage of daylight,” says interpreter Zhang Jienian.
The visit, sponsored by the Chinese government, was both revealing and educational, due to Xinjiang’s varied tapestry of ethnicities, cultures, economic developments and natural landscapes.
Futuristic-looking Silk Road Tourist Centres and high speed train station in the Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone.
One Belt, One Road
In the last several years, much has been written about China’s boom-bust property market due to it being the world’s second largest economy. There is overbuilding and over-investment in different parts of China.
So it is relevant at this juncture to give a glimpse of this sector in Xinjiang itself, against the backdrop of Beijing’s “One Belt, One Road” economic initiative.
Unveiled in 2013, its objective is to raise the economic standards of the Chinese, irrespective of creed and religion. China is a secular state.
Because of Xinjiang’s location in the furthermost northwest – it borders Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Russia and Mongolia – and despite the slowdown in the Chinese economy, it is getting special attention from Beijing.
It is seen as a window to Central Asia. This explains the multi-level developments in what is known as the “New Frontiers”.
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See the real Xinjiang for yourself, not what you read in the Western media,” says a government official.
Indeed, from the building of new villages for minority groups, upgrading of tourist destinations and the installation of a high speed rail system, the spectrum of new projects is astonishing.
The construction of Urumqi’s transport system is expected to impact the capital and the province most. Urumqi’s metro rail, to be completed in 2018, will link different parts of the city. The high speed train system about 15km outside the city will link it with other Chinese cities and Central Asia.
As the dry desert wind makes its presence felt in a press briefing held under the scorching sun at the site of high speed train station, High Speed Rail Development Investment Co director Zheng Wei Min outlines the project to reporters from 23 countries its significance against the backdrop of China’s One Belt, One Road economic initiative.
“It parallels the ancient Silk Road,” says Zheng.
While that ancient trading route saw the exchange of silk, spices, livestock and slaves, the new Belt Road route will be a precursor of much more, he says.
“It will link China, countries in Central Asia and China’s immediate neighbours and Europe,” says Zheng. It will open up the transportation of both goods and services and travelling along that route. Just as the Silk Road opened up oases of activities and societies of different milieu along the way, its adaptation will mean much more in today’s digital age.
A network of rail and road systems beginning from China’s coastal cities in the east will replace camels as the normal transport mode. There will also be a sea route which passes by Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, Africa, up the Suez Canal and on to Athens. The train station involves an investment of 22 billion renmimbi while the rest of the commercial area around it will cost some 127 billion renmimbi, Zheng says. The station will be the focal point of the development while Silk Road Tourist Centres, resembling little round space ships, will front the station. Other commercial developments will be within walking distance of it.
The train station is expected to have 115,000 passengers daily, excluding those passing through by 2020. By 2030, this is expected to rise to 155,000, he says.
Industrial and software parks are located in the periphery. Despite the overall slowdown in the Chinese economy, Zheng and other government officials agree that Beijing-based central government will not let up on its development in Xinjiang. “This underscores its seriousness in getting the Belt Road initiative off the ground,” says Zheng.
With a population of 23 million, Xinjiang has about 50 minority groups including the Kazaks, the second largest ethnic community - which businesswoman Jengisgul Nuordanaken is part of. - Photos by THEAN LEE CHENG
Incubating startups
At the Xinjiang Software Park Co Ltd, also located at the Urumqi economic zone, its chairman Bi Zhong Hua says companies will be able to leverage on the transport links.
“We will be able to help companies enter Central Asia and beyond as our software park will also be modelled on a multi-language platform. The big cities in eastern China tend to focus on English and Mandarin. We will be focussing on multiple languages. Research and development is the other focus,” he says, adding, “Xinjiang’s diverse groups will offer our neighbours a free flow of expertise. It will be two-way, win-win situation for China and our neighbours.”
Bi says overall development of the software park is to promote everything related to the Internet of Things (IOT). The incubator-concept of the project was conceived in 2010 and the building housing the startups was completed last year.
“Our aim is to attract 200 startups. There should be sufficient synergy. Hopefully, some will become big corporate names later,” he says. Bi says the government-initiated project will accord quite a number of privileges to those who set up their base there.
With a slow volatile global economy and China’s slowing growth – off its double digit peaks of the 1990s/2000s – China is seeking other sources of growth. The Belt Road initiative will help to jump start the different sectors of its economy and its geographically vast landscape.
