ITE in Xinjiang move

I don't usually report on new event launches. However, ITE's 14th September press release did catch my eye. The London-based company has announced nine new fairs to be launched jointly with the Xinjiang International Exhibition Centre in Urumqi, the capital of China's most north-westerly province. A quick glance at your trusty atlas will show you that this puts them as near to Turkey as it does to Beijing. Xinjiang, long known only for melons and sand, is of increasing importance, partly because of its strategic location and partly because it sits over a massive natural gas field.

The press release picks up these points:

Representing a door to the neighbouring oil-rich states of Central Asia, Xinjiang has become the focus of China’s oil and gas interests. China has been actively strengthening its hand in the industry, having purchased PetroKazakhstan to add to its interest in Mangistau in the Caspian Sea, while also developing its own fields in the Junghar Basin. A major oil and gas pipeline running through Xinjiang province from Atyrau on the Caspian Sea has ensured future supplies from Central Asia and delivery to the East.

The capital Urumqi is beginning to reap the benefits of these developments as well as profiting from the racing Chinese economy. The signs of a forthcoming boom are everywhere, with new building projects dominating the skyline, fully booked hotels and 50 weekly flights, as businessmen flock to see what the region has to offer.