Shop owners in Xinjiang revitalize livelihoods with village transformation into tourism destination

Clean, well-maintained village paths and charming traditional houses create a striking first impression of Duoerbujin Village in Nilka County, the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where shop owners have seen their businesses flourishing with increasing flow of customers and growing revenue.

Thanks to the efforts of the One-on-One Aid Team from Wujin District of Changzhou City in east China affluent Jiangsu Province, a targeted incentive program has encouraged local farmstay owners, inn operators, and young entrepreneurs to actively and creatively develop tourism in the village, leading to social media buzz highlighting the new attractions.

Ha Che, owner of the first cafe in the village, vividly recalls the transformation.

"In the spring of 2024, I heard from friends that Duoerbujin Village was being transformed into a vibrant ethnic-cultural destination. When I first arrived, the entire area was full of construction sites, with big or small pits dug everywhere, and I wondered when the renovations would be finished. To my surprise, by June and July of that same year, the entire street had been completely transformed. That's when I realized the real potential of this place, given the speed and efficiency of the work. This space was originally intended to be a cafe. When the aid team explained their vision to me, I immediately saw the sense in it and embraced the idea. That's how I ended up running this cafe," Ha said.

Bazargul Rahan, owner of Bazargul's Milk Tea House, has also witnessed the transformation.

"This place used to be a simple farmhouse restaurant, serving local dishes like horse meat and basic stir-fries. Back then, the business wasn't particularly remarkable. In May, officials from the Jiangsu Aid Team proposed a renovation plan to me. Honestly, I was skeptical at first. But they encouraged me to invest in proper renovations and put in the effort. They assured me not to worry about the money, as they would help secure funding. True to their word, they later provided me with 50,000 yuan (about 7,000 U.S. dollars) in funding," she said.

Ha said it's a great opportunity for young people to start up their own businesses, adding that it's worth the try whether it succeeds or not.

"Since opening this cafe, the officials from the aid program have regularly visited, offering advice and support. They also helped us financially, which has resulted in significant savings on both rent and renovation costs. As a result, this approach has led to a quicker return on investment. Additionally, when people from these institutions visit my cafe, they essentially act as brand ambassadors, helping to spread the word," Ha said.

Since the renovations, Bazargul's business has experienced a remarkable upswing.

"The renovation has definitely attracted more customers. When I was running the farmhouse restaurant, we would host just two or three weddings a year. Now, after the renovation, we have seven or eight weddings booked every month. I can make several thousand yuan (hundreds of U.S. dollars) a day and tens of thousands of yuan (thousands of U.S. dollars) each month," said Bazargul.

Ha agrees that the village's new look has made a tangible difference, expecting a prosperous future for her cafe's development.

"With the village's new appearance, passersby often stop to take photos or check in. Although we are still in the early stages of development, I believe it will thrive in the future. This transformation has really boosted my income and opened up brighter prospects for the future," she said.

Shop owners in Xinjiang revitalize livelihoods with village transformation into tourism destination

The three astronauts of China's recently-returned Shenzhou-20 mission on Friday shared the experiences of their dramatic 204-day space mission, including detailing the emergency procedures which were implemented to bring them safely home after their return capsule was struck by space debris.

The trio -- Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie -- met with the press in Beijing on Friday afternoon, marking their first public appearance since returning to Earth in November.

When detailing the emergency response mechanisms which were enacted prior to their scheduled return, the astronauts explained that upon discovering a triangular crack on the spacecraft's viewport window, they immediately took photos for documentation and transmitted them to the ground team, who swiftly activated an emergency plan to get the trio home safely.

Experienced mission commander Chen Dong explained how the crew had complete faith in their colleagues on the ground to find a solution to these unforeseen circumstances which led to their return being delayed.

"First, we must trust the ground team, who would anticipate everything and develop the safest return plan for us. Second, we must believe in ourselves; as well-trained astronauts, we have the ability to manage various unexpected failures. I believe that with the collaboration of astronauts and researchers on the ground, our space home will surely go farther, more steadily, and for a longer time," he said.

Following their extended stay in space as a result of the debris incident, the Shenzhou-20 crew spent a total 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest duration by a single group of Chinese astronauts.

During their mission, they completed multiple payload operations, conducted extensive scientific experiments, and carried out four extravehicular activities.

"Our crew worked together with the ground team in unity and coordination, completing four extravehicular activities, several payload entry and exit tasks, and a large number of scientific experiments. It was a fulfilling yet challenging mission. The path to exploring the heavens is long and arduous, but I firmly believe that China's space missions will succeed," said Chen Zhongrui, a former air force pilot who was making his first spaceflight during the mission.

"From the ground to space, from learning to application, I have deeply felt the solid progress of Chinese space endeavors and the quiet dedication of countless personnel behind the scenes. In the future, I will accomplish each mission with full commitment, living up to the trust of the motherland and the people," said fellow astronaut Wang Jie, who was also making his debut spaceflight.

After returning to Earth on Nov 14, the trio successfully completed their isolation recovery and rehabilitation and will now resume normal training following health assessments.

The crew's return, originally scheduled for Nov 5, was postponed due to safety concerns, with the astronauts later using the return capsule belonging to their successor crew of the Shenzhou-21 mission to get back to Earth. China later launched the unmanned Shenzhou-22 spacecraft which will serve the future return of the crew now aboard the Tiangong Space Station.

Shenzhou-20 astronauts share experiences after safely returning from debris incident