BEIJING - Every evening, workers gather in the Shenzhen Industrial Park in Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, waiting for buses to take them home. Companies based in the park, including electronic components makers and clothing manufacturers, have hired more than 3,000 workers from nearby villages and towns, making the industrial park one of the most bustling areas in the region.

A large number of highly competitive companies from outside the region have set up factories or subsidiaries in Xinjiang under the "pairing assistance" program, helping local residents find jobs close to their homes.

The program has allowed 19 provinces and municipalities to offer financial and personnel support to remote Xinjiang, building new infrastructure and funding local industry.