Guards shrug off harsh conditions to ensure the border remains secure

Low oxygen levels and harsh weather can put people off certain jobs, but Zhu Baohua and his fellow officers at the National Immigration Administration have never been deterred by the tough environment around their workplace, a mountain pass close to the China-Tajikistan border.

The 38-year-old, who has been a police officer for 15 years, is head of the Aranbaotai guard post at the border police station in Teznap, a township in Kashgar prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The guard post, in Northwest China, was established in May 2017. It is home to three police officers, while 21 herdsmen who assist the border control team are also based there.