Q: A delegation of foreign diplomats posted in China visited Xinjiang a few days ago—the first of its kind this year. Could you share some details with us?

A: From July 31 to August 4, at the foreign ministry’s invitation, a delegation of 40 ambassadors and other senior diplomats from the foreign missions of 25 countries in China, including those of Pakistan, Malaysia, Iran, Egypt, Guinea, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Dominica and Nicaragua, visited Xinjiang. Heads of the CPC committee and the government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region met with the delegation. The delegation traveled to Kashgar, Aksu and Urumqi, where they visited a renovated old town, a mosque, an Islamic institute, a museum, a smart agricultural machinery company, a rural revitalization project and a counter-terrorism and de-radicalization exhibition. They also had conversations with the local clergy and people of minority ethnic groups to know more about the facts regarding the thriving economy, freedom of religious belief, protection and promotion of historic and cultural heritage and so on, and why counter-terrorism and de-radicalization is legitimate, justified and necessary for Xinjiang and what has been achieved in this regard.

The delegation shared their views about the tour saying that Xinjiang has beautiful landscape, a warm and hospitable people and remarkable economic dynamism, and that each stop of the visit had been impressive. They saw a stable Xinjiang, where people can live safely thanks to the government’s efforts. They saw an economically fast-growing Xinjiang, which has become a frontier of China’s opening-up. They saw a happy Xinjiang, where people’s lives have improved significantly. They saw a culturally diverse and thriving Xinjiang, where the traditional culture of minority ethnic groups are well protected and passed on from one generation to another. They saw no “forced labor” in Xinjiang. Local agriculture already uses the most advanced machinery, whereby cotton-picking efficiency has been greatly increased. The delegation noted that the real Xinjiang is completely different from the stories concocted by some Western media and expressed hope for deeper exchanges and cooperation with the region.

The first-hand experience of the foreign diplomats again shows that truth will always prevail. The international community will not be deceived by the smears and false accusations of “genocide” and “forced labor” that came from a handful of Western countries led by the US. China sincerely welcomes friends from all countries to come to Xinjiang more to see for themselves its beauty, harmony and progress.