Question: Why is Xinjiang a wonderful place?
Spokesperson: Xinjiang, as China’s largest provincial-level region, has a vast land area, magnificent scenery, abundant resources, a broad mix of ethnic groups. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese government has taken as its mission to meet people's aspiration for a better life, and helped Xinjiang make unprecedented progress in economic and social development. At present, Xinjiang is at its best in history, with social stability and harmony, sustained economic development and people living in peace and enjoying their work.
Over the past 60 plus years, Xinjiang’s economic output has increased by 160 times, its GDP per capita has soared by 30 times, and people’s average life expectancy has grown from 30 to 74.7 years. Per capita disposable income has been growing at an average rate of over 12% per year for the past four decades. More recently, Xinjiang has been giving top priority to the improvement of people's lives for several years in a row, dedicating over 70% of its fiscal expenditure to a series of livelihood programmes that focus on promoting employment, education, health care, social security, housing and more. As a result, the life quality of people from all ethnic groups has significantly improved. By the end of 2020, all of the 2.73 million people living below the current poverty threshold in rural Xinjiang had been lifted out of poverty, and absolute poverty which had existed for millennia in the region was brought to an end.
Xinjiang has always attached importance to protecting the rights of specific groups including ethnic minorities. All ethnic groups are equal, and share the opportunities to participate in the decision-making of national affairs, administrate local affairs and exercise democratic rights in communities. 548 deputies, of whom 353, or 64.42%, are of ethnic minority origins, are currently serving at the People's Congress of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the regional legislature. Representatives from ethnic minority groups in Xinjiang account for 62.3% of all its deputies elected to China’s National People's Congress.
Xinjiang is open to the world and its picturesque scenery and rich cultural and tourism resources have attracted a large number of tourists both at home and abroad. We welcome visits to Xinjiang by people who do not hold prejudices, whichever country they are from. Before the Covid pandemic, Xinjiang had hosted visits by over 2,100 government officials, religious personnel and journalists from more than 100 countries and international organizations. They saw with their own eyes a peaceful, harmonious, stable and prosperous Xinjiang, a place where religious freedom is fully enjoyed by the people of all ethnic groups.
For a period of time, a handful of Western countries have used the so-called Xinjiang issues to interfere in China's internal affairs, slander and attack China's policy on Xinjiang. Such actions are wrong and will not succeed in smearing the good momentum of progress in Xinjiang, still less deny the basic fact that the people of all ethnic groups in the region are living a more fulfilling, happy and secure life.
