An outsider brings railway success to Xinjiang

In 2014, when Jia Xiaobo first told officials in Urumqi his idea of making the city a railway hub that would collect cargo from around China and ship it by train to Europe, they turned him down. Officials didn't believe the city - the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region - was up to such an ambitious concept.

Jia relocated from Beijing to Urumqi in 2011 as one of the officials sent from 19 provinces and municipalities - along with others from various ministries-by the central government to help the region develop. They were expected to take on roles in local governments and advise local officials.

Since the central government first sent the officials to Xinjiang in 1997, more than 19,000 people have taken up the supporting assignments in the region. In 2011, a new round of assistance was launched, and 15,000 officials have contributed to the development of the vast western area since then.