Efforts made to increase number of hajj pilgrims

As Muslims around China celebrated Eid al-Fitr on Wednesday marking the end of Ramadan, the country is making efforts to take 1,000 more Muslims to the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca this year to participate in the holy pilgrimage.

The number of Chinese pilgrims allowed into the holiest city of Islam has remained unchanged for years.

In 2015, 14,500 Chinese pilgrims from 27 provinces and regions went to Mecca for the hajj, which falls in September this year.