Residents in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region shared stories about their employment and entrepreneurship on December 26 at a press conference held by the regional government.

In recent years, Xinjiang has taken innovation as a new engine to expand employment, lowered the market entry threshold, and continued policies to support entrepreneurship, said Gul Ablim, the conference moderator.

Ebiljan Rahman from Shaya County, Aksu Prefecture, started his business in the county with his friends doing home-decoration. "Local authorities provide three years' rent-free housing, helping more entrepreneurs to realize their dreams."

Nurali Kidirali, a man from the Kirgiz ethnic group, applied for interest-free loans after graduating from university and opened a cultural media company.

"The monthly income of employees in our company can reach nearly 9,000 yuan (about $1,414). I want to make the company bigger and become an excellent director in the future," Nurali Kidirali said.