Waili Yimiti, School of Economy and Management, Xinjiang University

The former Secretary of State of the US Mike Pompeo staged a show of “doomsday madness” before his resignation, declaring that Chinese government had committed the “genocide” and “the crime of anti-humanity” in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This is a slander with no bottom line that discredits the socio-economic development of Xinjiang and the happy life of all nationalities in Xinjiang. And I firmly oppose such slander.

Now, I would like to talk about the truth about Xinjiang:

Xinjiang has made brilliant achievements in its modernization construction since the Reform and Opening-up, and the economy has been growing in a sustainable and steady way. The GDP of Xinjiang was 3.9 billion yuan in 1978, but it soon exceeded 10 billion yuan in 1985 and amounted to 11.2 billion yuan, later it reached 104 billion yuan in 1997 and 1359.71 billion yuan in 2019. Since the implementation of the western development strategy, Xinjiang's economic development has achieved even more remarkable results -- the GDP growth rate and per capita GDP have all exceeded the national average. What’s more, highway, railway and civil aviation construction has improved at the same time. As a result, a three-dimensional transportation network that extends in all directions and crisscrossed by land and air routes comes into being. People of all ethnic groups received a stronger sense of gain, happiness, security with the economic development of Xinjiang.

The starting point and the goal of the policies of the Communist Party of China over Xinjiang region in new era is to ensure that people live a good life. With the help and efforts of the party and the government, the per capita disposable income of Xinjiang residents has seen an annual growth of 9.1% from 2014 to 2019. More than 1.69 million rural houses and 1.56 million urban affordable houses have been built, and more than 10 million people moved to new houses. Meanwhile, the basic public services in urban and rural areas have been continuously improved, the social security system has also been gradually perfected, and free physical examinations have been accessible to all people in Xinjiang. Besides, the medical facilities in agricultural and pastoral areas have been significantly improved, the standardization rate of township hospitals and village clinics reached 100%, and the participation rate of residents' basic medical insurance reached 99.7%. By 2020, the poverty-stricken population of 3,089,000 has all been lifted out of poverty, altogether 3,666 poverty-stricken villages and 32 poverty-stricken counties have been removed, which means the problem of absolute poverty in Xinjiang has been solved historically. Obviously, the Communist Party of China and government are concerned with the livelihood of the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang and thus thrive to improve it. Now, all people in Xinjiang are bathed in the preferential policies of the party and the government and enjoy a happy life.

Pompeo’s unfounded charges on Xinjiang issue are intended to sow dissension among various nationalities and wreck the stability of Xinjiang. And people of Xinjiang have long recognized his hideous intention. Lies and slanders from enemy cannot stop us from forging ahead. The people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang will unite more closely and continue to work hard for a Xinjiang that is prosperous, harmonious and beautiful!