Muhetaer Aishan, Deputy Director of Commission of Ethnic Affairs ( Bureau of Religious Affairs) of Xinjiang Uygur Augonomous Region

Recently, Pompeo published fallacies related to Xinjiang, attacking and deliberately discrediting Xinjiang for no reason, and wantonly slandering China’s religious policy. This is sheer nonsense and gross interference in China’s internal affairs. His purpose is to stir up ethnic dissensions in Xinjiang, and his intention is extremely vicious. This once again exposed his sinister intentions. As a Chinese, a Uygur official, I feel extremely angry and strongly condemn it.

Freedom of religious belief is a basic human right. Xinjiang has been a multi-ethnic and multi-religious region since ancient times, and the proportion of religious citizens is large. Respecting and protecting the religious freedom of religious citizens according to law is an important content and embodiment of the development and progress of human rights in Xinjiang. This has been fully discussed in the white paper Human Rights in Xinjiang - Development and Progress issued by the Information Office of the State Council in June 2017.

In today’s Xinjiang, Muslim people’s freedom of religious belief is guaranteed by law and respected and protected in social life. As a basic human right of citizens, freedom of religious belief is confirmed by the national constitution. The Constitution stipulates that citizens of the people’s Republic of China have freedom of religious belief. The newly revised Regulations on Religious Affairs issued by the State Council in 2017 and the Regulations on Religious Affairs of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region promulgated in 2014 both embody the spirit of constitution.

The party and the government have always been very concerned about and attached great importance to the protection and inheritance of religious places. At present, there are many religious and cultural sites in Xinjiang, such as Aitigar Mosque, Zhaosu Shengzuo Temple, Kizil Thousand Buddha Cave and so on, which are listed as cultural relics protection units above the provincial level. The central government has allocated special funds to repair the Aitigar Mosque, Yining Baitula Mosque, Hotan Jiaman Mosque, Urumqi Yanghang Mosque and Kashgar Xiangfei Tomb, which are included in the cultural relics protection units of the state Xinjiang Uygur Augonomous Region. All these measures have effectively protected the religious and cultural sites of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang.

The normal religious activities of the Muslim people are fully guaranteed. The religious activities, such as citizens’ worship, fasting, chanting scriptures and celebrating religious festivals in religious places or in their own homes in accordance with religious customs shall be protected by law and shall not be interfered by any organization or individual. Muslim people take charter flights arranged by the government to make pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. The government provides translators, cooks, transportation and other services to ensure the safe and orderly pilgrimage. The government fully respects the religious feelings, belief needs and customs of the Muslim people. During Ramadan, the closure or opening of the Halal Restaurant is entirely at the discretion of the owner without interference.

In recent years, Party committees and governments at all levels in Xinjiang have made great efforts to help and support religious organizations to strengthen their self construction, improve their conditions and support their role. At the same time, the training system of religious staff are constantly improved and reserved religious staff are under cultivation. In September 2017, the new campus of Xinjiang Islamic Institute, which was built with the government's investment of more than 200 million yuan, was officially put into use. At the same time, eight branches of Xinjiang Islamic Institute have been established in Ili, Changji, Urumqi, Turpan, Aksu, Kizilsu, Kashgar and Hotan, forming a training system with Xinjiang Islamic Institute as the center and eight branches as the supportive branches.

In recent years, governments at all levels in Xinjiang have continued to improve the public service conditions of mosques. Water, electricity, road, gas, communication, radio and television, and cultural library have entered mosques. Among them, Zhuma mosque has a bathing room and a water flushing toilet; it is equipped with medical services, electronic display screen, computer, electric fan or air conditioning, fire-fighting facilities, etc., which greatly facilitates the Muslim people to worship and is greatly favored by people in the religious circles and religious believers.

Pompeo is unwilling to see the social stability, development and prosperity of Xinjiang. He is unwilling to see the people of all ethnic groups are living in harmony and working together. He is unwilling to see the Muslim people live a happy and healthy life. So Pompeo tried his best to discredit Xinjiang. A lie is a lie. Justice lies in the hearts of people. Pompeo’s ridiculous behavior makes him a nuisance to people and to our country. His lies, rumors and slanders can not change the fact of Xinjiang’s social stability and development and progress. Any attempt can not interfere with Xinjiang’s development and prosperity. Any attempt to undermine the social stability and development of Xinjiang is doomed to be a failure.