Imjan Zari, Director of the Sports Bureau of Xinjiang Autonomous Region

Recently, former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in disregard of the facts, invented something out of nothing and once again slandered Xinjiang by fabricating remarks such as “human rights oppression”, “forced labor”, “genocide” and “forced sterilization”. Born and raised in Xinjiang, I am a participant, witness and beneficiary of Xinjiang’s stability, prosperity and development. The people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang love our great motherland and are extremely proud of Xinjiang’s prosperity and development. I am indignant at Pompeo’s shameless actions and absurd remarks, and I would like to express my strong condemnation and firm opposition.

Pompeo’s remarks are full of strong ideological bias and Cold War mentality. Facing serious Covid-19 epidemic situation, what we people around the world should do and reflect on is how to unite and fight against this common enemy together. However, Pompeo did the opposite. He kept making baseless smears and crushing China, which he saw as a strategic rival. His sinister intentions were evident. Pompeo has always regarded lying, cheating and stealing as the highest glory, without any credibility. I would like to say that we people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, especially us Uygur compatriots, must sharpen our eyes and recognize Pompeo’s ugly face and sinister intentions.

Xinjiang has been a multi-ethnic region since ancient times, and all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are members of the Chinese family that closely linked by blood. In our Sports Bureau of Xinjiang Autonomous Region, there are ethnic cadres, workers, athletes and coaches of various ethnic groups including Han, Uygur, Kazak, Hui, Manchu, Russian, Xibe, Mongolian etc. We live together and gained remarkable achievements and honors for China and Xinjiang through solidarity and hard training. Our Party and country have always attached great importance to the training of ethnic minority talents in Xinjiang, the sports system of Xinjiang successively cultivated a large number of outstanding athletes of ethnic minorities, for example, the national championship boxing athlete Maimaititursun Jong and the famous basketball player Sijrijiang Mukhtar are both Uyghur people, the national champion wrestler Torbatu is a Mongolian, the national champion equestrian athlete Liu Lina is a Russian, and the famous basketball player Klanbek Makan is a Kirkiz. At the same time, a number of elite athletes from different ethnic groups, such as Tohtihan Buik, Rong Ningning and Han Xu, will represent the national team to compete in Tokyo Olympic Games. Many elite athletes from Xinjiang ethnic groups, such as Diniger Yilamujiang and Alabati Ahimaiti, are actively preparing for the Beijing Winter Olympics. These facts fully demonstrate that the Party and the country not only guarantee the development of human rights of ethnic minorities, but also attach great importance to the training of talents of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. I used to live in southern Xinjiang when I was a child. Thanks to the care and cultivation of the Party and the country, I worked my way from grass-roots level to present position step by step. I knew the superiority of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics clearly. I love my motherland and I feel grateful to the great Communist Party of China. I will strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation all my life.

“Building a beautiful Xinjiang and realizing the dream of our motherland together” is the sincere expectation of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, and the common aspiration of the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups in China. Today’s Xinjiang, from the vast Tarim Basin to the towering Altai Mountains, from the majestic Pamir Plateau to the rich Turpan Basin, is full of vigorous hope. Pompeo’s attempt to destroy Xinjiang and use Xinjiang to control China is, after all, a wishful thinking and unrealistic dream!