Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Guo Ling) news: From April 8 to 16, 2024, a seminar for media directors from the Silk Road Economic Belt partner countries was held in Xinjiang,with 26 media professionals from 21 countries participating. During this seminar, they went to Urumqi City, Kashi Prefecture, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture and other places in Xinjiang to communicate with experts and scholars, have face-to-face exchanges with people of all ethnic groups, and gain a deeper understanding of the real Xinjiang.

Photo shows members of the seminar for media directors from the Silk Road Economic Belt partner countries visit local villagers’ home at the ancient city of Kashi in Kashi Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Guo Ling)

After visiting scenic spots, factories, kindergartens, exhibition halls, markets, and religious sites, as well as villages, resident areas, streets, alleys, and local people’s houses, they found that everything here was completely different from what Western media claimed.

Photo shows a member of the seminar for media directors from the Silk Road Economic Belt partner countries plays Dap with a craftsman at the ancient city of Kashi in Kashi Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Guo Ling)

"As long as I have the opportunity, I would like to come to Xinjiang," a member of the seminar shared his thoughts with the reporter. He said that he came to Xinjiang for the second time in less than a year and still felt surprised. People in Xinjiang have a very happy life.

Photo shows members of the seminar for media directors from the Silk Road Economic Belt partner countries visit a kindergarten in Korla City, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Guo Ling)

Entering the Kashi Comprehensive Bonded Zone, members of the seminar for media directors from the Silk Road Economic Belt partner countries visited the cross-border e-commerce import and export commodity exhibition and trading center, Kashi International Mail Exchange Bureau, and other places. Hussein Askary, vice director of the Belt and Road Institute in Sweden, used his phone to record what he saw, including the towering factories, precise equipment, and various imported goods. "Even when I specialized in Chinese policy and the Belt and Road, I never imagined that Xinjiang could reach such an advanced level, and the fact that many investments are pouring in from all over the world shows the policy orientation of China's economic development." Hussein Askary said people should know that Xinjiang is not only a transportation and logistics hub, but will also become an important large-scale industrial zone.

Photo shows members of the seminar for media directors from the Silk Road Economic Belt partner countries experience writing calligraphy in Korla City, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Guo Ling)

Members of the seminar also had in-depth exchanges with relevant personnel on the religious activities at the Xinjiang Islamic Institute and the Id Kah Mosque in Kashi City. They said that they had witnessed the religious harmony in Xinjiang with their own eyes. "The government of China’s Xinjiang has also invested in improving the software and hardware facilities of mosques, confirming that religious freedom is fully guaranteed in Xinjiang," said Beat Schneider, a professor, columnist and historian at the University of the Arts in Bern, Switzerland.

Photo shows members of the seminar for media directors from the Silk Road Economic Belt partner countries take photos under pear trees in Awat Township, Korla City, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Guo Ling)

Members of the seminar went to residential areas, kindergartens, villages and other places in Korla City, and witnessed the happy lives of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang. "I feel that people of all ethnic groups live harmoniously together, with multiple religions coexisting harmoniously." Maksudov Ajizhong, head of social media marketing department of Tajikistan’s Avesta news agency, was deeply impressed by the No. 2 Kindergarten in Korla City. He said that each classroom is unique, and the class is interesting. They can feel children's cheerfulness and confidence in their laughter.

Photo shows members of the seminar for media directors from the Silk Road Economic Belt partner countries taste dried fruits in Korla City, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Guo Ling)

Members of the seminar were attracted by the unique architecture, folk customs, delicious food, and dazzling products in the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, the ancient city of Kashi, and the e-commerce livestreaming bases of Yuli County. They took photos and enjoyed themselves so much as to forget to leave. Tang Yongbei, chief of Australian Chinese Newspaper Tasmania, was even amazed by a large-scale e-commerce live streaming center in Yuli County.

The members come from Sweden, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Australia, Japan, the Maldives, Pakistan, Bahrain, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Philippines, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Georgia and other countries. This activity has held five discussions and exchanges, so the members could communicate with relevant experts and scholars. They expressed that the discussion was lively and meaningful and answered many of their questions.

"Along the way, I posted what I saw and heard on social media, and my friends from various countries thumbed up. All the comments were positive, and many netizens thanked me for showing them the real Xinjiang," Hussein Askary said.

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