Students receive on-site training at the campus of the China University of Petroleum-Beijing at Karamay. YANG YANG/CHINA DAILY

Times have changed and so has Karamay. About 65 years ago, where today's modern Karamay stands was indeed a barren part of the Gobi Desert. Situated roughly 400 km from Urumqi, there was no grass or water. Even the birds avoided it.

Then fate, in the form of three letters, seemed to intervene. Oil. Liquid gold was struck. On Oct 29,1955, a black jet spouted from the No 1 well in Karamay, announcing the birth of New China's first oilfield. In 1958, Karamay, as a city, was built. People from all over the country traveled thousands of kilometers to work in what were extremely difficult conditions to provide energy for production and heat for the people.

In those early days pioneers slept in pits they dug to shelter from fierce winds and extreme cold. They had to work in waist-deep snow and -20 C temperatures. Some died due to the conditions.

Today, on the drive from Urumqi to Karamay, there is little apart from the vastness of the Gobi to distract the driver.

But eventually an oasis appears, providing a greenness that is soothing to the eye. The Karamay River runs through the city. In early morning and dusk, people jog along its lush banks.

In the Uygur language, Karamay actually means black oil. Seen from the viewing platform of Baijiantan, 30 km northeast from the city's downtown, thousands of pumping units, also nicknamed "kowtow machines", draw oil from underground. They stand sentinel along the No 217 national highway, extending about 50 km.

Apart from being one of the most important oilfields in China, Karamay has what could be described as an ideal atmosphere for new commerce. Its dry climate provides perfect conditions for cloud computing storage facilities. It is also an important base for the petrochemical industry, and a key site for international trade between China, Central Asia and Europe.

As one of the most developed cities in Xinjiang, Karamay has been trying to attract and nurture talent to further modernize the autonomous region.

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