Crayfish farming is unlocking new economic opportunities in Makit County, northwest China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region, where villagers are converting desert land into profitable aquaculture ponds.
What was once desolate Gobi wasteland is now dotted with glimmering aquaculture ponds, offering local villagers fresh income and renewed hope.
The initiative began when aid teams from east China's Shandong Province introduced the bold concept of transplanting crayfish farming from China's east coast to Xinjiang's arid west.
After more than a year of repeated experiments, they succeeded in raising Australian freshwater crayfish in desert conditions. To ensure villagers could take part, the team built ponds, installed equipment, and prepared easy-to-use guides on crayfish farming.
At first, the challenges were daunting as the desert's water is extremely difficult to manage-it gets scorching hot by day, freezing by night, and the quality is hard.
The first batch of crayfish larvae saw survival rates of just 10 percent.
"We were also very anxious, so we immediately brought in a professional (aquaculture) team from Rizhao, and they simply stayed by the crayfish ponds. In Xinjiang, the water is highly saline and alkaline, and if the crayfish don't molt, they won't survive. To adjust the water quality, there was one day when we conducted more than a hundred tests, and the data filled up two whole notebooks," said Bu Xiangbing, aid Xinjiang cadre from Rizhao City, Shandong Province.
After two years of persistence, survival rates drastically improved. By 2024, Xinjiang's desert-raised crayfish were quickly sold out on the market, proving both the quality and potential of this new industry.
The farming area has now expanded to 160 mu (about 26 acres), involving over 100 local households.
For locals like Nueraihemaiti Reheman, the impact is life changing.
"After learning the skills, I bought a car. I earn 40,000 (about 5,492 U.S. dollars) to 50,000 yuan (about 6,865 U.S. dollars) a year now," he said.
"My wife and I both work here. Together we make 5,500 yuan a month," said another staff member named Abudula Abulizi.
Desert crayfish farming turns barren Xinjiang land into booming industry
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
