Gas project bringing jobs to many Xinjiang residents

ILI, Xinjiang - Mardan Mehmet never hesitates to show how happy he is.

"I earn 5,000 yuan ($777) a month, have a car, and can still support my two younger sisters in their studies," says Mehmet, a Uygur man working at a huge project to produce substitute natural gas from coal in Ili, in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The coal-to-gas project, which is being undertaken by China's Shandong Energy Xinwen Mining Group Co Ltd, places priorities on creating job opportunities for local people and on protecting the environment, said Sun Zhonghui, the company's vice-chairman.