Maimaiti Yimingjiang,Graduate of Vocational Education and Training Center, Kuche

My name is Maimaiti Yimingjiang and I live in Xincheng Street, Kuche County in southern Xinjiang. Recently, I read from the news that the former US Secretary of State made some Xinjiang-related remarks, slandering China and defaming Xinjiang, which made me indignant and furious. As a person who was born and raised here in Xinjiang, I felt that I must say something, to shut Pompeo up!

In January, 2018 I volunteered to join in Vocational Education and Training Center in Kuche and I was so familiar with the real situation in there. The center respects all the members’ will and they could choose of their own will any course they like, as well as learn national language, laws and professional skills. For me, the learning process in the center is a valuable experience and I accumulated a great deal of knowledge, which is wealth in the future when used properly. The condition in the center is wonderful and all the necessities for learn and stay are free. The room is equipped with air-conditioner so that in winter it is warm inside and in summer it is cool, along with separate washing closet, toilet, shower equipment. The food was also wonderful, nutritious and delicious. In summary, the condition of the center is much better than at home.

During the education days, I focused on learning knowledge and skills in cooking and hotel service. In spare time, I took three other courses as painting, dancing and music. Looking back at this time, it is really a fabulous memory. However, the fabulous memory that I am having becomes the so-called “concentration camp” and “place for forced labour” in the eyes of some anti-China people in the west, such as Mike Pompeo and so on. What they said was just total confusion of right and wrong and absolute nonsense. The aim of setting up the education center is to eliminate terrorism and religious extremism from the root and that is completely in accordance to our pursuit of a wonderful life.

I just want to ask Pompeo this: when a person volunteers to apply and choose to study and learn, will you call that “forcing” or “oppression”? Will you call that “against humanity”? Have you ever held the faintest idea of a true Xinjiang? Have you ever felt personally the true happy life of all ethnic groups here in Xinjiang? Have you ever at least tried to understand and to know the earth-shaking changes happening here, which are brought about by all ethnic groups with hard and diligent work?

At present, my eldest daughter is in grade three of junior middle school and my younger daughter is in primary school, both enjoying the excellent beneficiary policies of free education from the government and doing well in their studies. As for myself, in order to have a better and better life, I started a restaurant called “All Flavours Here” with my good buddies and employed two chefs and a waiter, who are willing to help and work in the restaurant. The work and labour that I and my staff are doing is of our own will and of our own choice. We do it in order to have a better life and to improve living standard of our family. There is no such thing as “forced labour” at all! With our hard and diligent work, more and more customers are coming to our restaurant, we are getting more and more popular and surely our income is increasing all the time. My next plan is to open 2 or 3 chain restaurants and I am full of confidence for the life in the future.

All ethnic groups in Xinjiang are warm-hearted and hospitable, which is felt deeply by every tourist who comes here to travel and enjoy. But look at you, Mike Pompeo! You are disgusting in every Chinese people’s eyes, especially in every Xinjiang people’s eyes, and most importantly, in every Uygur people’s eyes, who live in the wonderful land of Xinjiang, China! So, please stop smearing China and defaming Xinjiang, and mind your own business!