Efforts to grow textile industry and attract startups are providing employment for impoverished ethnic communities. Cao Yin reports from Aksu, Xinjiang.

Nurgul Islam removed the white face mask covering her mouth and wiped the sweat from her eyes. "I used to be anxious about the future," she shouted as banks of sewing machines roared around her, "but this job has set me free."

The 21-year-old works in quality control for Ke Ning Textile Technology Co's sock factory in Aksu, a city in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.