Yuksak Shijaat, National First Level Artist at the Opera Troupe of Xinjiang Art Theater, Member of the CPPCC

My name is Yuksak Shijaat. I am an ethnic Tajik, a national first level artist at the Opera Troupe of Xinjiang Art Theater, and a member of the CPPCC. I was born in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Kashgar Prefecture. In 2018, I was dispatched to Suyaydi village of Yengi Eriq Township in Awat County, Aksu Prefecture, by Xinjiang Culture and Tourism Department as a member of a work group. There I worked for poverty alleviation for 4 consecutive years.

Suyaydi village is located in the southern tip of Yengi Eriq Township, bordering Taklimakan Desert, and almost dried-up Ashma Lake. Suyaydi means “covered by water” in Uygur. People of different ethnic groups including Uygur, Han, Hui, Mongolian and Tibetan live there together in unity and harmony. Our village is a model village for ethnic unity. Not long ago, the former US Secretary of State Pompeo released Xinjiang-related false statement, ignoring facts, lying through his teeth. He didn’t know about our life in Xinjiang. I can assure him that with the favorable policies of the CPC, we have a fabulous life, and will have even a better life.

Pompeo said our people don’t enjoy happiness? If that was true, how come there is not a single poor household in the village I worked? Why does every one live in safe houses? They have access to tap water, asphalt roads and road lamps. The per capita income of the villagers is 13440 RMB yuan. If their life is not well-off, why can we see them beaming with satisfaction on their faces? I can assure you, Pompeo, that our people live happier than your people.

We are most qualified to judge if people in Xinjiang live a happy life or not. Let me take an example: we have a villager Amat Asat, who is 77 years old. His son works at factory with monthly income of 3500 RMB yuan. Besides, he has a farming land of 25 mu with 25 sheep; he and his wife receive pension. I visit him on a daily basis. He often tells me holding my hand that “our life is fabulous thanks to the CPC policies; we have everything, we don’t worry about food and clothing; our life is sweeter than honey”.

Not long ago, my brother Lachin Bayka, a national model labor, also a patriotic model, a deputy to the NPC, an ordinary border guard, left us forever when saving a kid who dropped into a pond on campus. When we attended “two sessions” together, we often talked about work in villages and changes in our hometown. We both are representatives of our ethnicity. He is my role model. Thanks to various favorable policies of the CPC, my hometown – Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County has witnessed unprecedented changes; there is no poor household, there is no violent terrorist case. Pompeo! I want to remind you that our fabulous life is not easy to achieve. I won’t let anyone destroy it. Don’t meddle in our internal affairs! Mind your own business and take responsibility for every word you uttered.