Witnessing the real Xinjiang, foreign diplomats debunk lies

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(Xinhua) 09:28, April 04, 2021

-- From March 30 to April 2, a delegation comprising Vladimir Norov, secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and more than 30 diplomats from some 21 countries, visited Xinjiang.

-- They talked with locals from various sectors of society, visited local schools and enterprises, and debunked rumors about Xinjiang, a region whose image is frequently distorted by some Western politicians, organizations and media.

-- From 2014 to 2019, the GDP of Xinjiang increased from 919.59 billion yuan to 1.36 trillion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 7.2 percent. Under the current standards, 3.06 million rural residents in the region have been lifted out of poverty, 3,666 poverty-stricken villages have withdrawn from the poverty list, and all 35 poverty-stricken counties are now off the poverty list.

URUMQI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Savoring a piece of naan sprinkled with spices and chatting with a naan master at the International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, Vladimir Norov was amazed at how this bread-like staple food has boosted the development of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

"The naan has a perfect integration of tradition and modernity," said Norov, secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

He said what impressed him most was the industrial chain driven by naan, a daily food for the people in Xinjiang, which is also gaining popularity in other parts of China. The naan making involves agricultural production, processing, logistics, cultural creativity, and the tourism industry, thus providing various positions for job seekers.

Foreign diplomats visit a resident in Nazarbagh Town of Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 31, 2021. From March 30 to April 2, a delegation comprising Vladimir Norov, secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and more than 30 diplomats from some 21 countries visited Xinjiang.

They talked with locals from various sectors of society, visited local schools and enterprises, and debunked rumors about Xinjiang, a region whose image is frequently distorted by some Western politicians, organizations and media. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

Norov is not the only one impressed by the social and economic development in Xinjiang in recent years.

From March 30 to April 2, a delegation comprising Norov and more than 30 diplomats from some 21 countries visited Xinjiang.

They talked with locals from various sectors of society, visited local schools and enterprises, and debunked rumors about Xinjiang, a region whose image is frequently distorted by some Western politicians, organizations and media.

REFUTING LIES

Mohammad Keshavarz-Zadeh, the Iranian ambassador to China, visited mosques in the regional capital Urumqi and Kashgar. He was amazed by the conditions there.

Responding to rumors fabricated by some Western media that Xinjiang "restricts freedom of religious belief," the ambassador said that, during a visit to the Baida Mosque located in Urumqi, normal Islamic religious activities in mosques took place in line with the Muslim people's will.

"As a Muslim, I prayed in the mosque. I saw people are free to practice their religious activities." He said that the mosques are spacious and bright, the carpets are soft and clean, and there are tables and chairs for the convenience of the elderly and the disabled.

Foreign diplomats visit a rural water supply station in Payzawat County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 31, 2021. From March 30 to April 2, a delegation comprising Vladimir Norov, secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and more than 30 diplomats from some 21 countries visited Xinjiang.

They talked with locals from various sectors of society, visited local schools and enterprises, and debunked rumors about Xinjiang, a region whose image is frequently distorted by some Western politicians, organizations and media. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

The mosques also have facilities like flush toilets, ablution rooms, canteens, and cultural centers, Mohammad Keshavarz-Zadeh said.

He also noticed that the Chinese government's efforts in fighting terrorism are genuine and bearing fruit.

Xinjiang has "completely reversed the past, which was marked by frequent violent terrorist activities. There have been no terrorist incidents across the region over the past more than four years," Shohrat Zakir, chairman of the regional government, told the delegation at a briefing held on Friday in Urumqi.

Mohammad Keshavarz-Zadeh's view was echoed by Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, the Nepalese ambassador to China, during their visit to an exhibition themed around the arduous fight against terrorism and extremism in Xinjiang.