From April 8 to 16, 2024, the “Seminar for Media Directors of the Silk Road Economic Belt Partner Countries” was held in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with 26 media professionals from 21 countries participating. During the seminar, members visited Urumqi, Kashi, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, and other places to engage in discussions with experts and scholars, as well as to interact with people from various ethnic groups, gaining a deeper understanding of the real situation in Xinjiang.

Hussein Askary, vice-chairman of the Belt and Road Institute in Sweden, shared his experience, saying, "I have read a lot about Xinjiang, both positive and negative, but nothing compares to seeing it for myself." He expressed his surprise and fascination, noting, "I saw that the idea of Chinese modernization is already present in Xinjiang, and I was really fascinated to see all the modern aspects of the region."

Talking about the claim that the Belt and Road Initiative creates a “debt trap,” Askary said that what they have found through their research is actually the opposite, and that the Belt and Road Initiative is helping some developing countries get out of the old debt trap which was formed due to their reliance on Western financial institutions.

Executive Producer: Xiao Chunfei

Supervisors: Ding Tao and Xue Jing

Producer: Jie Wenjin

Planners: Lin Han and Cheng Li

Reporter: Gulnigar Amat

Camera: Janbolat Manarbek

Post-production: Tao Zhihao

Reviewers: Hou Weili and Fan Feifei

Related：

Special Report: InXinjiang