In Karamay, 4,000 kilometers from Shanghai in a remote desert basin of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, one of China’s largest oil fields has been the sole driver of the economy. Now Shanghai is trying to help the area diversify, with a shift toward more sustainable, greener industries. Last week, Karamay officials signed science and technology agreements on eight projects with universities and companies from Shanghai. Karamay’s name in the Uyghur language means “black oil.” It’s been “black gold” for oil companies and local residents. One travel blog calls the city “the most remote and richest” in China.