JSCh
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JSCh
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A time-lapse video shows how the world’s highest power transmission project rolls out
People's Daily, China
Published on Jul 10, 2017
People's Daily, China
Published on Jul 10, 2017
JSCh
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Geothermal fields found on Pamir Plateau
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-24 16:31:53|Editor: Liangyu
URUMQI, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Two geothermal fields have been identified on the Pamir Plateau in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, after an eight-year survey.
One field at Quman village in Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County, covers eight square kilometers, said Wang Hong, deputy chief engineer of the regional department of land and resources.
"Analysis of geological structure, temperature and pressure show that the Quman field can promise stable yields for more than 100 years," Wang said.
Geothermal resources are generally used for heating water and greenhouses, for generating electricity and in health spas.
Another field covering seven square kilometers of low-temperature geothermal resources was also found in the county, suitable for hot spring therapy and leisure pursuits.
Tashkurgan on the Pamir Plateau endures long, harsh winters. The local government usually imports coal from Urumqi, Xinjiang's capital, and Aksu Prefecture at high cost. Winter heating has always been a heavy burden for residents.
In 2010 Xinjiang began to explore geothermal resources in Tashkurgan, spending 48 million yuan (7 million U.S. dollar) on the search.
The department estimates that the Quman field could provide heating for 12,000 residents, reducing heating costs 30 million yuan each year.
Hot springs in the low-temperature field could become a profitable tourist resort, creating jobs for residents and opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-24 16:31:53|Editor: Liangyu
URUMQI, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Two geothermal fields have been identified on the Pamir Plateau in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, after an eight-year survey.
One field at Quman village in Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County, covers eight square kilometers, said Wang Hong, deputy chief engineer of the regional department of land and resources.
"Analysis of geological structure, temperature and pressure show that the Quman field can promise stable yields for more than 100 years," Wang said.
Geothermal resources are generally used for heating water and greenhouses, for generating electricity and in health spas.
Another field covering seven square kilometers of low-temperature geothermal resources was also found in the county, suitable for hot spring therapy and leisure pursuits.
Tashkurgan on the Pamir Plateau endures long, harsh winters. The local government usually imports coal from Urumqi, Xinjiang's capital, and Aksu Prefecture at high cost. Winter heating has always been a heavy burden for residents.
In 2010 Xinjiang began to explore geothermal resources in Tashkurgan, spending 48 million yuan (7 million U.S. dollar) on the search.
The department estimates that the Quman field could provide heating for 12,000 residents, reducing heating costs 30 million yuan each year.
Hot springs in the low-temperature field could become a profitable tourist resort, creating jobs for residents and opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
JSCh
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Xinjiang finds new medical approaches
By China Daily | China Daily | Updated: 2017-07-25 07:18
Liu Weihua, an eye doctor from Beijing Tongren Hospital, checks a resident of Hotan, in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, earlier this month.[Xu Zhuzhu/For China Daily]
Support from outside giving way to better training within the region itself
Patients diagnosed in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region with a dangerous type of gallstone once had to travel to the capital, Urumqi, or even to another province, for treatment because of a shortage of specialists.
The costs involved meant that many sufferers simply soldiered on with a condition that, if left untreated, could result in a deadly infection.
Yet that all changed in 2015 when Uygur surgeon Memeturson Barat returned from a yearlong training program in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, which was organized as part of a central government effort to cultivate medical resources in Xinjiang.
"When medical treatment is available on your doorstep, it saves people so much trouble and tons of money," said Barat, 32, who now specializes in digestive medicine at No 1 People's Hospital in the border city of Kashgar.
A number of patients in the northwestern region with serious conditions have seen similar changes in recent years, according to Wang Junhua, deputy director of the training center at Xinjiang Women and Children's Hospital.
"In remote parts of the region, the mortality rate for women during childbirth is higher than in cities because of the lack of medical staff and expertise. Most of the deaths are preventable," she said.
People can get surgeries like esophageal foreign body extraction and EMR (a procedure to remove polyps in the digestive tract) from local doctors in Kashgar after more emphasis was placed on coaching local medical professionals through the Xinjiang health assistance program.
According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, more than 10,000 professionals have received training through the program, which has paired hospitals in the region with those in major cities since 2012.
Over the period, some 3,300 medical trainers from other provinces have been sent to Xinjiang, and around 590 local professionals have studied outside the region.
The medical assistance program for Xinjiang kicked off more than two decades ago. Nearly 50,000 medical experts from around China have been sent to the region, but the lack of capable doctors and medical expertise is still one of the factors holding back Xinjiang's health and medical progress, because when the experts leave conditions slide back to their original levels.
In 2011, the central government brought a new assistance program to Xinjiang. It requires 19 provinces, municipalities and ministries to support Xinjiang's development in different fields. In the health sector, more emphasis has been put on cultivating a medical corps that will stay long-term.
For instance, Jiangsu province paired one of its medical experts with three Xinjiang doctors and incorporated their performance into their annual assessments. Fujian province has sent 100 medical experts to Xinjiang every year, and it receives 100 doctors from the region to study and work in Fujian, according to the Xinjiang Health and Family Planning Commission.
In addition to training opportunities, Xinjiang has also crafted preferential policies to boost the development of local medical professionals, including making it easier for local doctors to earn qualifications and get promotions, and exempting medical students from tuition fees if they serve in certain places in Xinjiang, according to the national health commission.
"We have been innovating the talent training mechanism - changing from getting blood transfusions to forming blood on our own," Yin Yulin, deputy director of the Xinjiang commission, said of the new effort at a work conference on July 13.
Li Xinwei, head of the South Xinjiang workstation of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said: "We have been talking about assistance for Xinjiang for many years, but I prefer the concept of building up Xinjiang. We should put more emphasis on training our own medical professionals and standing on our own."
Li Lei contributed to this story.
By China Daily | China Daily | Updated: 2017-07-25 07:18
Support from outside giving way to better training within the region itself
Patients diagnosed in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region with a dangerous type of gallstone once had to travel to the capital, Urumqi, or even to another province, for treatment because of a shortage of specialists.
The costs involved meant that many sufferers simply soldiered on with a condition that, if left untreated, could result in a deadly infection.
Yet that all changed in 2015 when Uygur surgeon Memeturson Barat returned from a yearlong training program in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, which was organized as part of a central government effort to cultivate medical resources in Xinjiang.
"When medical treatment is available on your doorstep, it saves people so much trouble and tons of money," said Barat, 32, who now specializes in digestive medicine at No 1 People's Hospital in the border city of Kashgar.
A number of patients in the northwestern region with serious conditions have seen similar changes in recent years, according to Wang Junhua, deputy director of the training center at Xinjiang Women and Children's Hospital.
"In remote parts of the region, the mortality rate for women during childbirth is higher than in cities because of the lack of medical staff and expertise. Most of the deaths are preventable," she said.
People can get surgeries like esophageal foreign body extraction and EMR (a procedure to remove polyps in the digestive tract) from local doctors in Kashgar after more emphasis was placed on coaching local medical professionals through the Xinjiang health assistance program.
According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, more than 10,000 professionals have received training through the program, which has paired hospitals in the region with those in major cities since 2012.
Over the period, some 3,300 medical trainers from other provinces have been sent to Xinjiang, and around 590 local professionals have studied outside the region.
The medical assistance program for Xinjiang kicked off more than two decades ago. Nearly 50,000 medical experts from around China have been sent to the region, but the lack of capable doctors and medical expertise is still one of the factors holding back Xinjiang's health and medical progress, because when the experts leave conditions slide back to their original levels.
In 2011, the central government brought a new assistance program to Xinjiang. It requires 19 provinces, municipalities and ministries to support Xinjiang's development in different fields. In the health sector, more emphasis has been put on cultivating a medical corps that will stay long-term.
For instance, Jiangsu province paired one of its medical experts with three Xinjiang doctors and incorporated their performance into their annual assessments. Fujian province has sent 100 medical experts to Xinjiang every year, and it receives 100 doctors from the region to study and work in Fujian, according to the Xinjiang Health and Family Planning Commission.
In addition to training opportunities, Xinjiang has also crafted preferential policies to boost the development of local medical professionals, including making it easier for local doctors to earn qualifications and get promotions, and exempting medical students from tuition fees if they serve in certain places in Xinjiang, according to the national health commission.
"We have been innovating the talent training mechanism - changing from getting blood transfusions to forming blood on our own," Yin Yulin, deputy director of the Xinjiang commission, said of the new effort at a work conference on July 13.
Li Xinwei, head of the South Xinjiang workstation of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said: "We have been talking about assistance for Xinjiang for many years, but I prefer the concept of building up Xinjiang. We should put more emphasis on training our own medical professionals and standing on our own."
Li Lei contributed to this story.
JSCh
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Hundreds of thousands freed from poverty in Tibet in 2016
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-15 15:59:49|Editor: Mengjie
LHASA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Some 150,000 rural residents in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region escaped poverty last year, according to the Tibet Poverty Alleviation Office.
"The autonomous region has invested 4 billion yuan (around 600 million U.S. dollars) to promote industries with local features in poor areas, and relocated 77,000 poor people last year," said Lu Huadong, deputy director with the office.
Statistics showed that Tibet had around 590,000 rural poor by the end of 2015. It plans to help at least 130,000 rural people cast off poverty and relocate 163,000 residents in 2017.
"This year is a key period for Tibet's war against poverty. We will continue mapping out policies and plans in accordance with varying situations and causes of poverty and increasing funds," said Lu.
In China, there were still 43 million people in rural areas living in poverty at the end of 2016. The country aims to help all of them out of poverty by 2020.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-15 15:59:49|Editor: Mengjie
LHASA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Some 150,000 rural residents in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region escaped poverty last year, according to the Tibet Poverty Alleviation Office.
"The autonomous region has invested 4 billion yuan (around 600 million U.S. dollars) to promote industries with local features in poor areas, and relocated 77,000 poor people last year," said Lu Huadong, deputy director with the office.
Statistics showed that Tibet had around 590,000 rural poor by the end of 2015. It plans to help at least 130,000 rural people cast off poverty and relocate 163,000 residents in 2017.
"This year is a key period for Tibet's war against poverty. We will continue mapping out policies and plans in accordance with varying situations and causes of poverty and increasing funds," said Lu.
In China, there were still 43 million people in rural areas living in poverty at the end of 2016. The country aims to help all of them out of poverty by 2020.
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Alibaba to establish regional headquarters in NW China
Xinhua, August 20, 2017
China's e-commerce giant Alibaba will set up a northwest headquarters in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, to better support the development of western China and the Belt and Road Initiative.
The decision was announced by Ma Yun, Alibaba's chairman, during the World Xi'an Entrepreneurs Convention on Saturday, according to a press release given by Alibaba.
It cited Ma as saying that Xi'an is an important city in northwest China and the starting point of ancient Silk Road. Alibaba looks forward to be involved in the city's development.
Cainiao Network Technology, Alibaba's courier aggregator, will increase its investment in Xi'an to boost economic restructuring and transformation of northwestern areas, the press release said.
Aliyun, Alibaba's cloud computing subsidiary, and Xi'an Jiaotong University will establish a big data college to train talent, it said.
On Thursday, Alibaba said that its net profit jumped 96 percent to more than 14 billion yuan (2.1 billion U.S. dollars) year on year in the first fiscal quarter ending June. The group's revenue was about 50 billion yuan in the quarter, up 56 percent year on year.
Xinhua, August 20, 2017
China's e-commerce giant Alibaba will set up a northwest headquarters in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, to better support the development of western China and the Belt and Road Initiative.
The decision was announced by Ma Yun, Alibaba's chairman, during the World Xi'an Entrepreneurs Convention on Saturday, according to a press release given by Alibaba.
It cited Ma as saying that Xi'an is an important city in northwest China and the starting point of ancient Silk Road. Alibaba looks forward to be involved in the city's development.
Cainiao Network Technology, Alibaba's courier aggregator, will increase its investment in Xi'an to boost economic restructuring and transformation of northwestern areas, the press release said.
Aliyun, Alibaba's cloud computing subsidiary, and Xi'an Jiaotong University will establish a big data college to train talent, it said.
On Thursday, Alibaba said that its net profit jumped 96 percent to more than 14 billion yuan (2.1 billion U.S. dollars) year on year in the first fiscal quarter ending June. The group's revenue was about 50 billion yuan in the quarter, up 56 percent year on year.
JSCh
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OBOR attracts capital, logistics enterprises to west China
Xinhua Finance in BEIJING
2017-08-24 11:36
With the deep implementation of the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, the Chinese western regions have started to attract more capital.
In this backdrop, the first World Xi’an Entrepreneurs Convention was held in Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, from August 19 to August 20. More than a thousand foreign and domestic representatives from 24 different destinations attended the convention. They came from various sectors, including logistics, financial investment, aviation and aerospace, equipment manufacturing and e-commerce.
China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba will set up a northwest headquarters in Xi’an, announced Jack Ma, Alibaba’s chairman, during the convention. Besides, Alibaba will build a Big Data Academy with Xi’an Jiaotong University to cultivate high-end talents for the B&R.
Jack Ma said that Xi’an has witnessed rapid growth in recent years. As the starting point of the ancient Silk Road and one of the key cities of the national strategy of developing China’s western regions, Xi’an boasts great development potential. It is exciting for Alibaba to participate in the city’s development.
The western cities are becoming increasingly attractive for many enterprises. Zeng Zhaoning, a professor from Xi’an Shiyou University, said that the B&R Initiative is propelling the inland cities to adopt a more “aggressive” opening-up stance. “In the past, the western cities of China have been geographically challenged compared with the eastern ones. However, their latent potential has been brought to the fore as they continue to carry out infrastructure construction and make efforts to optimize business environment,” noted Zeng.
Some logistics companies have also discovered the potential of western cities. Guan Mengding, vice president of AWOT Group, said that we have branches across all the coastal cities of China. Through taking part in the convention, I have discovered the great potential of the western cities in international logistics. Our next step is to focus on the western cities like Xi’an and Yinchuan to expand our international logistics business.
At the conference, STO Express, one of the leading logistics enterprises in China, announced an investment of 1.5 billion yuan in building a Northwestern Transfer Center in Xi’an. Chen Dejun, chairman of the STO Express, noted that in terms of regional position, transferring the investment from the southeastern coastal areas to the west is a strategic move. The infrastructure in western regions is improving. At the same time, the investment costs are lower.
Except for infrastructure construction, land, air and maritime logistical capacities of the western cities are greatly improving. In addition, comprehensive bonded zones and free trade areas have been set up, which will facilitate the companies in expanding their international trade businesses in the inland cities.
Foreign enterprises are also interested in the business opportunities in the western cities of China.
Yu Xinqi, president of Thailand’s Shaanxi Chamber of Commerce, said that with the implementation of China’s B&R Initiative, Thai people are enthusiastic about investing in western China. “Every year, I usually organize three to four investment tours to Xi’an, with dozens of companies and investors each time. There are more Thai companies hoping to join the tour and explore investment opportunities in Xi’an,” he said.
Xinhua Finance in BEIJING
2017-08-24 11:36
With the deep implementation of the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, the Chinese western regions have started to attract more capital.
In this backdrop, the first World Xi’an Entrepreneurs Convention was held in Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, from August 19 to August 20. More than a thousand foreign and domestic representatives from 24 different destinations attended the convention. They came from various sectors, including logistics, financial investment, aviation and aerospace, equipment manufacturing and e-commerce.
China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba will set up a northwest headquarters in Xi’an, announced Jack Ma, Alibaba’s chairman, during the convention. Besides, Alibaba will build a Big Data Academy with Xi’an Jiaotong University to cultivate high-end talents for the B&R.
Jack Ma said that Xi’an has witnessed rapid growth in recent years. As the starting point of the ancient Silk Road and one of the key cities of the national strategy of developing China’s western regions, Xi’an boasts great development potential. It is exciting for Alibaba to participate in the city’s development.
The western cities are becoming increasingly attractive for many enterprises. Zeng Zhaoning, a professor from Xi’an Shiyou University, said that the B&R Initiative is propelling the inland cities to adopt a more “aggressive” opening-up stance. “In the past, the western cities of China have been geographically challenged compared with the eastern ones. However, their latent potential has been brought to the fore as they continue to carry out infrastructure construction and make efforts to optimize business environment,” noted Zeng.
Some logistics companies have also discovered the potential of western cities. Guan Mengding, vice president of AWOT Group, said that we have branches across all the coastal cities of China. Through taking part in the convention, I have discovered the great potential of the western cities in international logistics. Our next step is to focus on the western cities like Xi’an and Yinchuan to expand our international logistics business.
At the conference, STO Express, one of the leading logistics enterprises in China, announced an investment of 1.5 billion yuan in building a Northwestern Transfer Center in Xi’an. Chen Dejun, chairman of the STO Express, noted that in terms of regional position, transferring the investment from the southeastern coastal areas to the west is a strategic move. The infrastructure in western regions is improving. At the same time, the investment costs are lower.
Except for infrastructure construction, land, air and maritime logistical capacities of the western cities are greatly improving. In addition, comprehensive bonded zones and free trade areas have been set up, which will facilitate the companies in expanding their international trade businesses in the inland cities.
Foreign enterprises are also interested in the business opportunities in the western cities of China.
Yu Xinqi, president of Thailand’s Shaanxi Chamber of Commerce, said that with the implementation of China’s B&R Initiative, Thai people are enthusiastic about investing in western China. “Every year, I usually organize three to four investment tours to Xi’an, with dozens of companies and investors each time. There are more Thai companies hoping to join the tour and explore investment opportunities in Xi’an,” he said.
JSCh
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China Focus: Blue-sky thinking drives Tibet's organic industries
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-24 13:28:52|Editor: Yang Yi
LHASA, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- "While one kilogram of ordinary peaches only sells for about 30 yuan (4.5 U.S.dollars), the peaches here might make 100 yuan each," village official Sonam Yangkyi tells surprised visitors to Lhasa's Pure Land Industry demonstration zone.
The reason for such a high price for the winter peach is simply that Tibet Autonomous Region's high altitude and clean environment mean the peach is tastier and better than its competitors.
The winter peach is just one of the many varieties of fruit and other Pure Land Industry produce with premium quality and unique properties thanks to the pure water, soil and air there.
Lhasa began the Pure Land project in 2013. It includes maca, a root vegetable native to the South American Andes; snow chrysanthemum, used mainly for tea; grapes, roses, other organic produce, ingredients for Tibetan medicine, organic meat and dairy products.
In less than four years, 89 enterprises have got involved, with their output reaching 3.7 billion yuan.
Growing demand for organic products and Tibetan medicine has led to the Lhasa project being replicated in other areas.
Chamdo, a city in eastern Tibet, came up with the Blue Sky and Purity Industry this year, breeding Tibet chicken, pigs and growing medicinal plants.
Blue skies, pure snow mountain, along with clean air and water are the hallmarks of Tibet and the main engines for Tibet's sustainable growth.
Lhasa's Pure Land and Chamdo's Blue Sky have created jobs and raised the living standards of farmers.
The Pure Land demonstration zone in Quxu County has created 127,500 jobs while increasing per capita income by about 6,000 yuan last year.
The development of green industry has actually improved the environment instead of ruining it. Quxu has banned fertilizers and pesticides to protect the soil and guarantee that products meet organic standards. In Damxung County sustainable animal husbandry protects grassland from over-grazing.
"We are well aware of the importance of environmental protection. There is a price for all products, but a clean environment is priceless," said Sonam Yangkyi.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-24 13:28:52|Editor: Yang Yi
LHASA, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- "While one kilogram of ordinary peaches only sells for about 30 yuan (4.5 U.S.dollars), the peaches here might make 100 yuan each," village official Sonam Yangkyi tells surprised visitors to Lhasa's Pure Land Industry demonstration zone.
The reason for such a high price for the winter peach is simply that Tibet Autonomous Region's high altitude and clean environment mean the peach is tastier and better than its competitors.
The winter peach is just one of the many varieties of fruit and other Pure Land Industry produce with premium quality and unique properties thanks to the pure water, soil and air there.
Lhasa began the Pure Land project in 2013. It includes maca, a root vegetable native to the South American Andes; snow chrysanthemum, used mainly for tea; grapes, roses, other organic produce, ingredients for Tibetan medicine, organic meat and dairy products.
In less than four years, 89 enterprises have got involved, with their output reaching 3.7 billion yuan.
Growing demand for organic products and Tibetan medicine has led to the Lhasa project being replicated in other areas.
Chamdo, a city in eastern Tibet, came up with the Blue Sky and Purity Industry this year, breeding Tibet chicken, pigs and growing medicinal plants.
Blue skies, pure snow mountain, along with clean air and water are the hallmarks of Tibet and the main engines for Tibet's sustainable growth.
Lhasa's Pure Land and Chamdo's Blue Sky have created jobs and raised the living standards of farmers.
The Pure Land demonstration zone in Quxu County has created 127,500 jobs while increasing per capita income by about 6,000 yuan last year.
The development of green industry has actually improved the environment instead of ruining it. Quxu has banned fertilizers and pesticides to protect the soil and guarantee that products meet organic standards. In Damxung County sustainable animal husbandry protects grassland from over-grazing.
"We are well aware of the importance of environmental protection. There is a price for all products, but a clean environment is priceless," said Sonam Yangkyi.
JSCh
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Railway to connect 75 pct Xinjiang counties by 2020
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-25 17:07:23|Editor: Yurou
URUMQI, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- The administrative centers of all prefectures and 75 percent of county-level regions in China's far western Xinjiang region will be connected by rail by 2020, local authorities said Friday.
The plan was revealed in Xinjiang's transport construction blueprint (2016-2030), as China's largest provincial-level region seeks to build itself into a Eurasian transport hub.
By 2020, highways in Xinjiang are expected to reach 10,000 km in total length, connecting all the counties, according to the blueprint released by the autonomous region's government. All villages are to be connected by concrete roads.
Meanwhile, the number of civil airports in the region will reach more than 28, it said.
By 2020, the region will have three major transport routes connecting the neighboring countries of Kazakhstan and Pakistan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-25 17:07:23|Editor: Yurou
URUMQI, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- The administrative centers of all prefectures and 75 percent of county-level regions in China's far western Xinjiang region will be connected by rail by 2020, local authorities said Friday.
The plan was revealed in Xinjiang's transport construction blueprint (2016-2030), as China's largest provincial-level region seeks to build itself into a Eurasian transport hub.
By 2020, highways in Xinjiang are expected to reach 10,000 km in total length, connecting all the counties, according to the blueprint released by the autonomous region's government. All villages are to be connected by concrete roads.
Meanwhile, the number of civil airports in the region will reach more than 28, it said.
By 2020, the region will have three major transport routes connecting the neighboring countries of Kazakhstan and Pakistan.
JSCh
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Full speed ahead for Tibet on prosperity highway
Xinhua, August 28, 2017
"A region has to build roads if it wants to build wealth" the saying goes, and they are certainly sticking to it in the Tibet Autonomous Region, an area of more than 1.2 million square kilometers.
"It was a headache to travel to the Ali district in the past as there were only cobblestone and mud roads. It might take one week from Lhasa to Ali by truck, and you had to take water and food with you as there were no restaurants along the way," said Tsering, a driver in Lhasa.
Today, it takes him under four days as there are several blacktop highways between both places.
Tibet has seen its economy invigorated by improved transport conditions.
The total length of highways in Tibet grew from 65,198 kilometers in 2012 to over 82,000 kilometers today, extending by over 4,200 kilometers a year. High-grade highways, similar to expressways, saw their length increase six-fold from 2012 to 2016, said Chen Chao, deputy head of the region's transport bureau.
In 2013, the Motuo Highway opened to traffic, linking the outside world with the remote region of Motuo in southeastern Tibet. It was the last Chinese county without access to highways.
The rapid development of highways is the result of investment which grew from 10.101 billion yuan (US$1.52 billion) in 2012 to over 40 billion yuan in 2016, increasing by 41.3 percent a year.
Thanks to investment in infrastructure and the effects of improved transport, Tibet posted impressive economic growth in the past five years, recording an annual average GDP growth of 11 percent. The region's economy grew 10.8 percent year on year in the first half of 2017, outperforming every other provincial region.
"Once transport barriers are removed, there will be more commercial activities like logistics and tourism, thus improving local people's livelihoods," Chen said.
And building highways can help protect the environment, Chen said. When there were no highways, drivers would cross a region randomly, destroying the vegetation. Grass and plants are now spared as drivers run on a fixed route.
By 2020, Tibet will have 110,000 kilometers of highways, with all counties having access to blacktop highways and all towns connected by cement roads.
Xinhua, August 28, 2017
"A region has to build roads if it wants to build wealth" the saying goes, and they are certainly sticking to it in the Tibet Autonomous Region, an area of more than 1.2 million square kilometers.
"It was a headache to travel to the Ali district in the past as there were only cobblestone and mud roads. It might take one week from Lhasa to Ali by truck, and you had to take water and food with you as there were no restaurants along the way," said Tsering, a driver in Lhasa.
Today, it takes him under four days as there are several blacktop highways between both places.
Tibet has seen its economy invigorated by improved transport conditions.
The total length of highways in Tibet grew from 65,198 kilometers in 2012 to over 82,000 kilometers today, extending by over 4,200 kilometers a year. High-grade highways, similar to expressways, saw their length increase six-fold from 2012 to 2016, said Chen Chao, deputy head of the region's transport bureau.
In 2013, the Motuo Highway opened to traffic, linking the outside world with the remote region of Motuo in southeastern Tibet. It was the last Chinese county without access to highways.
The rapid development of highways is the result of investment which grew from 10.101 billion yuan (US$1.52 billion) in 2012 to over 40 billion yuan in 2016, increasing by 41.3 percent a year.
Thanks to investment in infrastructure and the effects of improved transport, Tibet posted impressive economic growth in the past five years, recording an annual average GDP growth of 11 percent. The region's economy grew 10.8 percent year on year in the first half of 2017, outperforming every other provincial region.
"Once transport barriers are removed, there will be more commercial activities like logistics and tourism, thus improving local people's livelihoods," Chen said.
And building highways can help protect the environment, Chen said. When there were no highways, drivers would cross a region randomly, destroying the vegetation. Grass and plants are now spared as drivers run on a fixed route.
By 2020, Tibet will have 110,000 kilometers of highways, with all counties having access to blacktop highways and all towns connected by cement roads.
JSCh
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Internet Plus transforms lives of Tibetan villagers
By Zhang Jiaqi
August 29, 2017
"In the past, if we wanted to announce something to our residents in our community, we had to spend lots of money on telephone bills, or we even sometimes had to use a loudspeaker - but the wind always carried the sound away. If we spoke towards the west, the residents in the east missed it, and if we spoke faced to the east, those in the west would hear nothing," said Dunzhu, head of Zhaxi Tuomen community in Shannan Prefecture, China's Tibet Autonomous Region, in his introduction to online alternatives for daily interactions.
Ciren Gesang, a resident in Zhaxi Tuomen community of Shannan Prefecture, China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, stands in front of the internet television with his son in his hands. [Photo by Zhang Jiaqi / China.org.cn]
Since last year, Dunzhu began to use WeChat groups to make announcements to the 502 residents in the community's 135 households. In a few months, different WeChat groups had been set up for different types of residents to offer targeted and timely services. Now, there are groups for low-income family members, students, coach drivers, migrant workers, community leaders and daily talks, as well as groups for learning various skills or information.
Ciren Gesang is one of the 24 members of the group for low-income families. The 50-year-old man with a four-year-old son found his job as a forest ranger in the group. "There are often some job postings in this WeChat group, and the job I found here earns me 3,000 yuan every year. I can also enjoy the subsidy for low-income families," he said with a smile on his face.
In addition to job-hunting, Ciren Gesang also enjoys chatting online with his brother who works as a migrant worker in Lhasa, but could rarely make video calls due to the high costs. However, things are different with Wi-Fi covering 87 households in the community, including Ciren Gesang's. "With Wi-Fi, it is cheaper now to chat online," Ciren Gesang said. Now, he can make video calls to his brother now and again.
"Every household only needs to pay 330 yuan per year, or 0.9 yuan per day to enjoy 20M/s Wi-Fi, a free fixed-line telephone, and a mobile Set Top Box (STB) for watching internet television free of charge," Dunzhu introduced.
"All this would be impossible without the support of the [Naidong] government, because otherwise, the Wi-Fi service would cost 560 yuan and the mobile STB would cost 240 yuan per year, and there would be no way for us to enjoy the free fixed-line telephone and the free internet television with a TV channel in Tibetan language."
The investment has allowed 87 households to enjoy Wi-Fi so far, and 18 more households will be added to the list later this year. Even the basketball field and tea house have been covered, and the tea house even supports paying the bills by WeChat.
For villagers in this community, the internet has provided other conveniences. "When a photo of an ID card was required, I could send a photo through WeChat without having to go to the village committee," Ciren Gesang recalled.
Dunzhu also gave an example of the convenience brought by the Wi-Fi coverage. "With the internet, our community can hold video conferences. In the past, conferences held by the government were reluctant to include the community because it can be very difficult to gather everyone in the conference room, but now, we can hold a video conference to convey the gist of the conference."
The successful practice of WeChat groups in assisting people's lives and promoting their wellbeing has prompted Dunzhu to go further. In March 2017, he took the initiative to set up a public platform on WeChat under the guidance of the Naidong government to offer timely service to the residents in the community.
Through the platform, Dunzhu shares resources related to agricultural production, preferential policies, advanced technologies, husbandry expertise, among many others. At any time or any place, residents can browse through the public platform to acquire useful information, improve themselves, and enjoy the benefits brought by the internet.
By Zhang Jiaqi
August 29, 2017
"In the past, if we wanted to announce something to our residents in our community, we had to spend lots of money on telephone bills, or we even sometimes had to use a loudspeaker - but the wind always carried the sound away. If we spoke towards the west, the residents in the east missed it, and if we spoke faced to the east, those in the west would hear nothing," said Dunzhu, head of Zhaxi Tuomen community in Shannan Prefecture, China's Tibet Autonomous Region, in his introduction to online alternatives for daily interactions.
Since last year, Dunzhu began to use WeChat groups to make announcements to the 502 residents in the community's 135 households. In a few months, different WeChat groups had been set up for different types of residents to offer targeted and timely services. Now, there are groups for low-income family members, students, coach drivers, migrant workers, community leaders and daily talks, as well as groups for learning various skills or information.
Ciren Gesang is one of the 24 members of the group for low-income families. The 50-year-old man with a four-year-old son found his job as a forest ranger in the group. "There are often some job postings in this WeChat group, and the job I found here earns me 3,000 yuan every year. I can also enjoy the subsidy for low-income families," he said with a smile on his face.
In addition to job-hunting, Ciren Gesang also enjoys chatting online with his brother who works as a migrant worker in Lhasa, but could rarely make video calls due to the high costs. However, things are different with Wi-Fi covering 87 households in the community, including Ciren Gesang's. "With Wi-Fi, it is cheaper now to chat online," Ciren Gesang said. Now, he can make video calls to his brother now and again.
"Every household only needs to pay 330 yuan per year, or 0.9 yuan per day to enjoy 20M/s Wi-Fi, a free fixed-line telephone, and a mobile Set Top Box (STB) for watching internet television free of charge," Dunzhu introduced.
"All this would be impossible without the support of the [Naidong] government, because otherwise, the Wi-Fi service would cost 560 yuan and the mobile STB would cost 240 yuan per year, and there would be no way for us to enjoy the free fixed-line telephone and the free internet television with a TV channel in Tibetan language."
The investment has allowed 87 households to enjoy Wi-Fi so far, and 18 more households will be added to the list later this year. Even the basketball field and tea house have been covered, and the tea house even supports paying the bills by WeChat.
For villagers in this community, the internet has provided other conveniences. "When a photo of an ID card was required, I could send a photo through WeChat without having to go to the village committee," Ciren Gesang recalled.
Dunzhu also gave an example of the convenience brought by the Wi-Fi coverage. "With the internet, our community can hold video conferences. In the past, conferences held by the government were reluctant to include the community because it can be very difficult to gather everyone in the conference room, but now, we can hold a video conference to convey the gist of the conference."
The successful practice of WeChat groups in assisting people's lives and promoting their wellbeing has prompted Dunzhu to go further. In March 2017, he took the initiative to set up a public platform on WeChat under the guidance of the Naidong government to offer timely service to the residents in the community.
Through the platform, Dunzhu shares resources related to agricultural production, preferential policies, advanced technologies, husbandry expertise, among many others. At any time or any place, residents can browse through the public platform to acquire useful information, improve themselves, and enjoy the benefits brought by the internet.
JSCh
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China’s largest uninhabited area Hoh Xil goes online
By Ge Yunfei
2017-08-30 19:01 GMT+8
The recent installation of a satellite communication system can help Hoh Xil, China’s largest uninhabited area, become a less dangerous place to live.
Hoh Xil, located in the northwestern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China, has an average altitude of 4,600 meters which makes the living conditions there severe. The patrollers of Hoh Xil know that each inspection in the wild can possibly end their lives.
The satellite communication system installed on Tuesday is set to help the region get online and bring dangerous outdoor inspections indoors. The system was established in the Sanandaj Natural Protection Station named after the man died protecting antelopes in the region.
A worker is installing the CCTV camera. /CGTN Photo
“We’re all very happy about this. Back then we had to travel a long way to make a phone call, but now we can surf the Internet and have video chats. It connects us to the rest of the world,” said Lhungdrup Tsagyal, Deputy Director of the protection station.
Liu Baocai, whose company installed the system alongside China Telecom, told CGTN that the satellite communication in Hoh Xil is even faster than normal fiber-optic broadband. It has the potential to completely change how protection work is done in the region.
For the next step, all protection stations, monitoring points, and patrolling routes in Hoh Xil will be added to the satellite network. The network is set to provide communication services to rescue and patrol teams, and ecosystem and rare animal monitoring. Qi Binghui, the Marketing Manager of China Telecom, said this will ultimately set up a smart network in Hoh Xil.
Liu also envisioned a future of IoT, also known as the Internet of Things, in Hoh Xil when all patrollers would no longer spend weeks in dangerous living conditions instead only have to watch the surveillance cameras monitoring real-time changes in Hoh Xil.
Engineers are installing the satellite system. /CGTN Photo
It is not all sunshine and rainbows at the beginning. So far the signal of the system only covers an area with a radius of 1 kilometer, far smaller than Hoh Xil’s 45,000-square-kilometer natural reserve, but the work here is not done.
Hoh Xil Wildlife Conservation Association who participated in the program plans to build a network of satellite communication in 18 months and establish an Internet of Things network in Hoh Xil in the following three to four years. The experience would be utilized in China’s other natural reserves if they succeeded.
By Ge Yunfei
2017-08-30 19:01 GMT+8
The recent installation of a satellite communication system can help Hoh Xil, China’s largest uninhabited area, become a less dangerous place to live.
Hoh Xil, located in the northwestern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China, has an average altitude of 4,600 meters which makes the living conditions there severe. The patrollers of Hoh Xil know that each inspection in the wild can possibly end their lives.
The satellite communication system installed on Tuesday is set to help the region get online and bring dangerous outdoor inspections indoors. The system was established in the Sanandaj Natural Protection Station named after the man died protecting antelopes in the region.
A worker is installing the CCTV camera. /CGTN Photo
“We’re all very happy about this. Back then we had to travel a long way to make a phone call, but now we can surf the Internet and have video chats. It connects us to the rest of the world,” said Lhungdrup Tsagyal, Deputy Director of the protection station.
Liu Baocai, whose company installed the system alongside China Telecom, told CGTN that the satellite communication in Hoh Xil is even faster than normal fiber-optic broadband. It has the potential to completely change how protection work is done in the region.
For the next step, all protection stations, monitoring points, and patrolling routes in Hoh Xil will be added to the satellite network. The network is set to provide communication services to rescue and patrol teams, and ecosystem and rare animal monitoring. Qi Binghui, the Marketing Manager of China Telecom, said this will ultimately set up a smart network in Hoh Xil.
Liu also envisioned a future of IoT, also known as the Internet of Things, in Hoh Xil when all patrollers would no longer spend weeks in dangerous living conditions instead only have to watch the surveillance cameras monitoring real-time changes in Hoh Xil.
Engineers are installing the satellite system. /CGTN Photo
It is not all sunshine and rainbows at the beginning. So far the signal of the system only covers an area with a radius of 1 kilometer, far smaller than Hoh Xil’s 45,000-square-kilometer natural reserve, but the work here is not done.
Hoh Xil Wildlife Conservation Association who participated in the program plans to build a network of satellite communication in 18 months and establish an Internet of Things network in Hoh Xil in the following three to four years. The experience would be utilized in China’s other natural reserves if they succeeded.
TaiShang
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Tibet strives for high-speed transport with ecological protection
By Zhang Jiaqi
The ice chunks are used to decrease the temperature in the Sangzhuling Tunnel of Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway in China’s Tibet Province. [Photo by Zhang Jiaqi/China.org.cn]
Working through the heat: Sangzhuling Tunnel and Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway
With water dropping from the top of the Sangzhuling Tunnel of the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway, the excavator is working through chunks.
Discussing inside the tunnel, Zhu Xuren, project manager of the fifth section of Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway introduced, "This is a project conducted at a super-high altitude environment. The highest temperature of this tunnel since 2015 was 63 degrees Celsius and the highest ever reached was 89 degrees Celsius."
As a major project along the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway, the Sangzhuling Tunnel will become the second tunnel along the railway. The tunnel will be over 16 kilometers, and by the end of July, around 14 kilometers will have been tunneled through. In order to combat the heat, ice blocks and water sprays have been utilized, and temporary mobile lounges with air conditioners have been set up.
Such difficulties in construction have not distracted the focus on ecological protection. Instead of being chopped down, the trees along the railway have been relocated to other spots. Moreover, the waste dregs from the construction works have been placed in fixed sites for follow-up treatment.
The Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway, as the shared section of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, the Yunnan-Tibet Railway and the Gansu-Tibet Railway, will become the first electrified railway in Tibet after completion.
Picturesque Line: Nyingchi-Lhasa High Grade Highway
The bridge, the reservoir and the surrounding scenery comprise a beautiful picture for visitors passing by, Song Xiancai from the transportation department of China's Tibet Province.
In front of Song and the extended Duobute Bridge, standing by the roadside of the original 318 national highway (G318), a bird's eye view of part of the bridge can be enjoyed. Amazed by the project and the view, a few cycling visitors also stopped by to take photos.
Built from May 2013 to September 2015, the first-phase of the Nyingchi-Lhasa High Grade Highway runs along the G318 corridor, and therefore, its construction did not disturb the operation of the G318 line. On this basis, the new highway stretches to Liuwu New Area of Lhasa, and connects with the Lhasa-Gongga Airport highway, facilitating the transport to scenic spots for visitors.
In addition, significant inputs have been made to the maintenance of the bridge and the highway and the related monitoring technologies to ensure their readiness to different temperatures. In summer, water sprays absorb the heat. In winter, besides traditional methods like covering cotton quilts or thin films, color steel cabins with boilers have also been set up to maintain a proper temperature for the cement structure. With water vapors suffused, the cabins can guarantee a temperature of over 15 Celsius degrees in winter.
Ecological protection and recovery featured both in the construction and the follow-up work. The straw mattresses covering the ground, once decayed, offer nutrients for the plants.The spray seedling technique helps to afforest the roadbed. Moreover, for the 15 construction sites along the way, soil of 10 to 30 centimeters thick was placed for plants to grow.
The 409.2-kilometer Nyingchi-Lhasa High Grade Highway is set to be finished and opened to the public by April 2018 and will be equipped with a higher load capacity, transport efficiency and safety level.
"It used to take eight hours to drive from Nyingchi to Lhasa. With the Nyingchi-Lhasa High Grade Highway, it will be cut by three hours," Song said.
Since 2012, the total mileage of highways in Tibet has increased by 16,802 kilometers to over 82,000 kilometers currently, including highways to Ngari Prefecture and the remote Medog County. By 2020, this figure is expected to reach 110,000 kilometers, according to the transport department of China's Tibet Province.
By Zhang Jiaqi
The ice chunks are used to decrease the temperature in the Sangzhuling Tunnel of Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway in China’s Tibet Province. [Photo by Zhang Jiaqi/China.org.cn]
Working through the heat: Sangzhuling Tunnel and Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway
With water dropping from the top of the Sangzhuling Tunnel of the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway, the excavator is working through chunks.
Discussing inside the tunnel, Zhu Xuren, project manager of the fifth section of Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway introduced, "This is a project conducted at a super-high altitude environment. The highest temperature of this tunnel since 2015 was 63 degrees Celsius and the highest ever reached was 89 degrees Celsius."
As a major project along the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway, the Sangzhuling Tunnel will become the second tunnel along the railway. The tunnel will be over 16 kilometers, and by the end of July, around 14 kilometers will have been tunneled through. In order to combat the heat, ice blocks and water sprays have been utilized, and temporary mobile lounges with air conditioners have been set up.
Such difficulties in construction have not distracted the focus on ecological protection. Instead of being chopped down, the trees along the railway have been relocated to other spots. Moreover, the waste dregs from the construction works have been placed in fixed sites for follow-up treatment.
The Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway, as the shared section of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, the Yunnan-Tibet Railway and the Gansu-Tibet Railway, will become the first electrified railway in Tibet after completion.
Picturesque Line: Nyingchi-Lhasa High Grade Highway
The bridge, the reservoir and the surrounding scenery comprise a beautiful picture for visitors passing by, Song Xiancai from the transportation department of China's Tibet Province.
In front of Song and the extended Duobute Bridge, standing by the roadside of the original 318 national highway (G318), a bird's eye view of part of the bridge can be enjoyed. Amazed by the project and the view, a few cycling visitors also stopped by to take photos.
Built from May 2013 to September 2015, the first-phase of the Nyingchi-Lhasa High Grade Highway runs along the G318 corridor, and therefore, its construction did not disturb the operation of the G318 line. On this basis, the new highway stretches to Liuwu New Area of Lhasa, and connects with the Lhasa-Gongga Airport highway, facilitating the transport to scenic spots for visitors.
In addition, significant inputs have been made to the maintenance of the bridge and the highway and the related monitoring technologies to ensure their readiness to different temperatures. In summer, water sprays absorb the heat. In winter, besides traditional methods like covering cotton quilts or thin films, color steel cabins with boilers have also been set up to maintain a proper temperature for the cement structure. With water vapors suffused, the cabins can guarantee a temperature of over 15 Celsius degrees in winter.
Ecological protection and recovery featured both in the construction and the follow-up work. The straw mattresses covering the ground, once decayed, offer nutrients for the plants.The spray seedling technique helps to afforest the roadbed. Moreover, for the 15 construction sites along the way, soil of 10 to 30 centimeters thick was placed for plants to grow.
The 409.2-kilometer Nyingchi-Lhasa High Grade Highway is set to be finished and opened to the public by April 2018 and will be equipped with a higher load capacity, transport efficiency and safety level.
"It used to take eight hours to drive from Nyingchi to Lhasa. With the Nyingchi-Lhasa High Grade Highway, it will be cut by three hours," Song said.
Since 2012, the total mileage of highways in Tibet has increased by 16,802 kilometers to over 82,000 kilometers currently, including highways to Ngari Prefecture and the remote Medog County. By 2020, this figure is expected to reach 110,000 kilometers, according to the transport department of China's Tibet Province.
JSCh
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Quake victims settle into newly built homes
By Cui Jia | China Daily | Updated: 2017-09-01 08:43
Local villagers in Tashkurgan Tajik autonomous county, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, move into their new houses on Wednesday after the magnitude 5.5 earthquake in May. [Photo by FU CHAO/CHINA DAILY]
People who lost their homes in a May earthquake in Tashkurgan Tajik autonomous county, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, have started to move into the new earthquake-resistant homes.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake rocked Tashkurgan, home of people from the Tajik ethnic group on the Pamir Plateau, on May 11. Eight people were killed and 31 injured, according to local officials.
More than 4,750 houses were destroyed. The biggest reconstruction project is in Quzgun, the quake's epicenter, where all the casualties were reported.
On Wednesday, Quzgun villagers began to move into the first 52 new houses from the disaster-relief tents they have been living in for more than four months.
The family of Gulpiya Meli threw a traditional Tajik housewarming party when they moved into their new home on Wednesday. The earthquake had destroyed her family home. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
"I cannot believe that I can sleep in the new house before school summer break is over," the 15-year-old said while offering guests milk porridge as a gesture of welcome.
In June, the Xinjiang government pledged to build earthquake-resistant houses for those who lost their homes before the harshest cold arrives.
More than 480 million yuan ($72.8 million) has been invested in the reconstruction project. So far, 2,609 houses have been completed and 793 are ready for the locals to move in. The construction work continues.
Mao Ermin, project manager at the Quzgun site, said it is not easy to build so many new houses on the plateau in just 83 days. Tashkurgan sits at 3,090 meters above sea level and is close to the borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan
"Many workers suffer from altitude sickness when they came to Tashkurgan in June. They carried on working even with headaches so the villagers could move in before winter arrives," he said.
Mao and his team were invited to the housewarming party and watched the locals dance while some played the traditional Tajik eagle flutes in the new houses.
He said he believes the hard work has paid off.
By Cui Jia | China Daily | Updated: 2017-09-01 08:43
People who lost their homes in a May earthquake in Tashkurgan Tajik autonomous county, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, have started to move into the new earthquake-resistant homes.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake rocked Tashkurgan, home of people from the Tajik ethnic group on the Pamir Plateau, on May 11. Eight people were killed and 31 injured, according to local officials.
More than 4,750 houses were destroyed. The biggest reconstruction project is in Quzgun, the quake's epicenter, where all the casualties were reported.
On Wednesday, Quzgun villagers began to move into the first 52 new houses from the disaster-relief tents they have been living in for more than four months.
The family of Gulpiya Meli threw a traditional Tajik housewarming party when they moved into their new home on Wednesday. The earthquake had destroyed her family home. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
"I cannot believe that I can sleep in the new house before school summer break is over," the 15-year-old said while offering guests milk porridge as a gesture of welcome.
In June, the Xinjiang government pledged to build earthquake-resistant houses for those who lost their homes before the harshest cold arrives.
More than 480 million yuan ($72.8 million) has been invested in the reconstruction project. So far, 2,609 houses have been completed and 793 are ready for the locals to move in. The construction work continues.
Mao Ermin, project manager at the Quzgun site, said it is not easy to build so many new houses on the plateau in just 83 days. Tashkurgan sits at 3,090 meters above sea level and is close to the borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan
"Many workers suffer from altitude sickness when they came to Tashkurgan in June. They carried on working even with headaches so the villagers could move in before winter arrives," he said.
Mao and his team were invited to the housewarming party and watched the locals dance while some played the traditional Tajik eagle flutes in the new houses.
He said he believes the hard work has paid off.
TaiShang
ELITE MEMBER
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Quake victims settle into newly built homes
By Cui Jia | China Daily | Updated: 2017-09-01 08:43
Local villagers in Tashkurgan Tajik autonomous county, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, move into their new houses on Wednesday after the magnitude 5.5 earthquake in May. [Photo by FU CHAO/CHINA DAILY]
People who lost their homes in a May earthquake in Tashkurgan Tajik autonomous county, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, have started to move into the new earthquake-resistant homes.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake rocked Tashkurgan, home of people from the Tajik ethnic group on the Pamir Plateau, on May 11. Eight people were killed and 31 injured, according to local officials.
More than 4,750 houses were destroyed. The biggest reconstruction project is in Quzgun, the quake's epicenter, where all the casualties were reported.
On Wednesday, Quzgun villagers began to move into the first 52 new houses from the disaster-relief tents they have been living in for more than four months.
The family of Gulpiya Meli threw a traditional Tajik housewarming party when they moved into their new home on Wednesday. The earthquake had destroyed her family home. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
"I cannot believe that I can sleep in the new house before school summer break is over," the 15-year-old said while offering guests milk porridge as a gesture of welcome.
In June, the Xinjiang government pledged to build earthquake-resistant houses for those who lost their homes before the harshest cold arrives.
More than 480 million yuan ($72.8 million) has been invested in the reconstruction project. So far, 2,609 houses have been completed and 793 are ready for the locals to move in. The construction work continues.
Mao Ermin, project manager at the Quzgun site, said it is not easy to build so many new houses on the plateau in just 83 days. Tashkurgan sits at 3,090 meters above sea level and is close to the borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan
"Many workers suffer from altitude sickness when they came to Tashkurgan in June. They carried on working even with headaches so the villagers could move in before winter arrives," he said.
Mao and his team were invited to the housewarming party and watched the locals dance while some played the traditional Tajik eagle flutes in the new houses.
He said he believes the hard work has paid off.
Good governance. Speedy recovery. Quite different from a certain quasi-police state.
