(Photo: Xinhua)

Aksu Prefecture in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is encouraging residents of different ethnic groups to live in the same residential communities to promote communications and ethnic unity.

In Aksu's Chaoyang residential community, 3,119 households from six ethnic groups, including Han, Uyghur, Hui and Kirgiz, live together, officials working in the community told the Global Times.

Ten percent of the apartments in the residential community are public rental housing. A total of 200 households from different ethnic groups applying for these apartments have been arranged to live next to each other in consideration of their willingness and conditions, according to an introduction of the administrative office of the community.

Discounts of 3 to 5 percent were also given to people who buy apartments in the community and choose to live next to other ethnic groups.

"Under the guidance of the local government, residential communities of different ethnic groups as neighbors is a trend in Aksu," Fan Guowen, secretary of the Party working committee of Lan'gan Street, which is the superior department of the Chaoyang residential community, told the Global Times.

Erken Kadir, who lives in the residential community, told the Global Times that living with different ethnic groups is good since "we can learn from each other."

In response to whether he would feel inconvenient considering different living habits, he said that "residents here pay respect to each others' habits and traditions. There is no need to haggle."

Aside from arranging neighbors, the local government also encourages residents to "pair" as relatives with different ethnic groups.

"The residential community would organize activities to promote interaction between 'paired' relatives. For example, the 'paired' relatives would drive to visit some scenic areas around Aksu or stage artistic performances," Fan said.

Shao Cuizhu, 56, and Azigul Emer, 45, have been "paired" sisters in Chaoyang residential community since 2010.

Emer shared her memories of being cared for by Shao when she was hospitalized. Shao also said that she was touched when Emer helped look after her and her granddaughter when she broke her arm and legs.

"Even my blood-bond sister is not as intimate to me as Azigul Emer," Shao said, noting that they would meet each other every day in summer to talk or take walks.