Companies here have advantages in making Halal meat products. “Aside from meeting the demands of the domestic market, our products are exported to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan and other Arab countries,” says Xi. “However, we exported relatively less this year due to the tight supply of meat products on the domestic market, and bottlenecks in the flow of goods.”

    The government has prohibited herding on mountains for environmental reasons, which has created difficulties for the company in purchasing sheep and cattle. Therefore, the company is planning to build its own breeding farm. Imams from three neighboring mosques are invited to slaughter the livestock. The production process is subject to strict quality controls, so the factory price for high-quality beef is RMB 80 per kilo, or twice the price of common beef.

    In the first half of 2008, Wuzhong fulfilled an output value of RMB 3.7 billion in Halal food processing and production. Wuzhong also has many markets and enterprises designated by the State Ethnic Affair Commission as Muslim commodities suppliers. The Muslim costumes made by the Wantini Ethnic Clothing Co., Ltd. and the Tongxin Tongda Co., Ltd. are widely adored by Muslim people. The Islamic-style artistic ironworks made by the Fusheng Machine Manufacturing Co., Ltd are exported to many Muslim countries, including the UAE, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Wuzhong has been named as a production base for Halal foods and Muslim commodities.

    In order to encourage the speedy and healthy development of the Halal food industry, the Ningxia regional government has established the Islamic Economic and Cultural Exchange Center and Halal Food Certification Center. In 2007, the certification center received a grant from the Malaysia Halal Industry Development Corporation, which has made it possible for Halal foods produced in Ningxia to enter the markets of Arab countries in the Middle East.

Benefits to Muslims in Education

Tour guide Zhang Yuxin at the Hui Ethnic Museum.

    Liupanshan High School and Yucai Middle School have won prestige not only in Ningxia, but throughout China. “Every child from the southern mountainous areas of Ningxia dreams of entering one of the two schools, just as they are eager to enter the universities,” says Ma Mou, accompanying his son to school for registration.

    The two boarding schools were constructed with a total investment of over RMB 600 million by the regional government for outstanding children in the poverty-stricken southern mountainous areas. The students receive preferential treatment, including free tuition and free accomodation. In addition, there is an annual subsidy of RMB 1,000 for each rural student.