Pakistani diplomat among 20 envoys visit China’s Xinjiang

Spokesperson says the autonomous region enjoys social stability, economic growth and ethnic unity

BEIJING:

More than 30 diplomats and officials from over 20 countries, including Pakistan, Russia, Iran and Nepal visited China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday.

The spokesperson told it regular briefing in Bejing that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Secretary General Vladimir Norov also accompanied the diplomats during the visit to Xinjiang’s capital Urumqi, Kashgar and Aksu from March 30 to April 2.

“They visited an exhibition on counter-terrorism and de-radicalisation, the International Grand Bazaar Urumqi, the Kashgar Old Town, the Aitigaer Mosque, a water station serving rural areas in Jiashi County and a memorial for the greening project in Kekeya,” she told reporters.

“Through these site visits, the group saw with their own eyes how Xinjiang enjoys unprecedented social stability, ethnic and religious harmony and steady economic growth,” the spokesperson said. “They also expressed readiness to promote cooperation between their countries and Xinjiang.”

According to Hua, the delegation toured several large companies, visited local Uyghur families and learned how the region realised remarkable economic development, improved living standards and protected human rights on the basis of maintaining stability.

“Today at noon, the delegation attended an interactive session themed ‘Xinjiang is a wonderful place’, attended by Shohrat Zakir, Chairman of the autonomous region, and representatives from various sectors in the region,” she added.

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At the session, Secretary General Norov and many ambassadors and diplomats shared their thoughts. They said what they saw proves that the allegations by certain countries of so-called human rights violations, religious discrimination and forced labour were simply groundless and the allegation of “genocide” is even more preposterous.

Chen Quanguo, member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Committee also met with the delegation and gave a full account of the region’s social and economic progress.

“As I just stated, through this visit, the group got to know the truth about Xinjiang, a region that enjoys social stability, economic growth and ethnic unity. These outcomes are truly hard-won,” she added.

“With unrelenting efforts, today the region has not seen a violent terrorist case for more than four consecutive years. It has achieved high-quality social and economic development. However, certain anti-China forces will not give up all sorts of lies, rumours and disinformation with no scruples.”