Xinjiang to boost textile workforce over next five years

Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region aims to create 200,000 jobs in the textile sector for low-income residents over the next five years, the regional economic and information technology commission said.

The region created 130,000 jobs in the textile industry over the past five years.

Twenty-two enterprises have recently opened in Aksu Textile Park in southern Xinjiang, producing 10 million meters of cotton cloth with 800,000 spindles every year. Ninety-five percent of the 1,500 workforce for one of the 22 businesses in the park identify as ethnic minorities.

The region also plans to send 500 managers and up to 20,000 workers for training at inland textile and garment enterprises this year.

Xinjiang will continue to promote labor intensive industries and employment to support poverty alleviation, said commission head Hu Kaijiang.

Xinjiang produces about 60 percent of China's raw cotton.

The State Council, China's cabinet, issued a guideline in June, 2015 to support the textile and garment industry in Xinjiang in the hope of increasing local employment and facilitate exports. Endi