Xinjiang highlight success of residents

Residents of Kizilsu Kirghiz autonomous prefecture in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region shared their personal experiences at a news conference on Friday to debunk anti-China rhetoric in the West.

Adelis Tursun, a 36-year-old resident of Atush, Kizilsu Kirghiz autonomous prefecture, said he is a beneficiary of rapid tourism development in his hometown.

Atush has long been known for its fig cultivation. The local government launched an effort to attract more tourists pick the fruit during harvest season and in the process patronize local restaurants and homestays.

Tursun used to run small businesses in Urumqi. Last year, he was encouraged to go back to his hometown and set up a homestay in his own house. Supported by local officials, he successfully applied for interest-free loans and opened a homestay in October last year that offers accommodations, food and entertainment.

"The homestay could generate average revenue of 100,000 yuan ($15,630) per month," he said, adding that he has hired 15 employees to help him.

Alip Qurban, director of the prefecture's bureau of transport, said the development of transportation has also been lifted to a new level. The total length of highways has reached 6,999 kilometers.

Qurban added that the prefecture has integrated poverty alleviation with transport development in recent years. For instance, more than 2,000 local people were hired for road maintenance in rural areas last year to improve the employment rate.