Over the past 10 years, Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province has allocated 3.05 billion yuan ($442 million) in funds to support the development of Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, official data show.

About 1.8 billion yuan of that was invested in Kucha city of Aksu prefecture.

Ningbo was paired with Kucha under a "pairing assistance" program launched by the central government in 2010, which sees more prosperous provinces and municipalities in East China lend support to underdeveloped regions of the country.

Over the period, Ningbo also dispatched 314 cadres and professionals to Kucha, including 203 teachers and 42 doctors, providing support in education, medical care and industrial development.

The facilities funded by Ningbo, including residential communities, hospitals and schools, have benefited a total of 75,000 local residents and farmers.

Ningbo has also created 8,865 jobs in the city and helped 1,935 local residents seek employment opportunities elsewhere.

All 30 of its towns and sub-districts have been tasked with helping different poverty-stricken townships and villages.

In addition, a total of 2,400 people from Kucha were sent to Ningbo to attend training sessions.