Creating new markets

The State Council has guided and supervised cooperation strategy, and collected and shared its own and regional experiences with pairing-off cooperation. In their early years, these arrangements achieved significant results, by strengthening the capacity of western regions' poverty alleviation systems, developing agriculture and tourism resources in the west, and creating new markets through economic cooperation.

East-West cooperation has shown itself as an effective platform for advancing both economic growth as well as social stability. By developing regions that were previously left behind, cooperation increases opportunities for economic growth and expanding domestic demand, which results in common prosperity.

More equal development levels between the eastern and western regions also correspond to the national socialist agenda. Cooperation is therefore considered a common responsibility and obligation of localities throughout the country.

Most of the settlers in Minning found jobs in new businesses established with investment from Fujian, while others worked in cities. Businesses ranged from agriculture and animal husbandry to real estate, wine production, and tar and gas businesses.

The per capita yearly disposable income of residents in Minning rose from 500 yuan in 1997 to 13,970 yuan last year, according to Zhao Chao, the town's deputy Party chief.

While visiting Minning in 2016, President Xi said the area had been transformed from a desert into a paradise, and that its experience should be applied in more areas.