The most basic and relevant information about Xinjiang for an international student is that it is famous for lamb skewers. Of course, as a former Confucius Institute scholarship student, I learned about the Silk Road's background, but I didn't know much about the basics. Finally, I had the chance to visit the Urumqi Planning Hall to gain a deeper understanding of Xinjiang's role as the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt. It serves as Eurasia's international logistics hub, with a highly developed modern industry. Additionally, it is also considered one of China's free trade test zones. Through the additional explanations, I gained a thorough understanding of how valuable and important Xinjiang, China, is in this period of the 21st century.

My real tour started when I went out of the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar. Because the weather was too hot, people were drinking a kind of beverage made by mixing yogurt with ice water. I also had a chance to taste it! A watermelon costing one Chinese yuan was especially sweet.

Lee Seong Deok took a photo with a nang sculpture at Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Xinjiang’s development achievements were not obtained suddenly in just a few years. With more than 30 years of hard work, people's lives have been greatly improved. The wave of reform and opening-up has injected new vitality into the city, while the vigorous development of the petrochemical industry has not only propelled Karamay's own economic takeoff but also contributed to the modernization of China and its Xinjiang region as a whole.

In a 100-year-old house in one of Xinjiang’s townships, you can learn about the protection of intangible cultural heritage and the culture and lifestyle of ancestors from ancient times to the present. As Xinjiang has its own special ecological environment and climate characteristics, their ancestors adapted their own culture from ancient times, allowing us to witness how they adapted and lived in a distinctive way that continues today.

Lee Seong Deok at the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

I also had the opportunity to experience the beauty of Xinjiang and the charm of China’s mainland. You can see how vast, expansive and beautiful the Jikepulin International Ski Resort in Hemu Township is. Although I went there during the summer, I could still feel the overall magnitude of the place.

Lee Seong Deok was amazed by the natural scenery in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

I visited a lot of companies in Xinjiang during my visit, and the most impressive one for me was the car company. GAC GROUP ensures that every car goes through strict inspections, so anyone can buy a car from the company with full confidence. In addition, their prices are quite affordable compared to others, and the designs are also appealing. If I have a chance to work in China as a Korean professor at a university, I will carefully consider buying a car from GAC GROUP.

Lee Seong Deok is an international student from South Korea who is studying at Beijing Normal University.

Producer: Xiao Chunfei

Supervisors: Ding Tao and Jie Wenjin

Planners: Jie Wenjin and Cheng Li

Reviewers: Wang Xiabing and Hou Weili

Editor: Gvlzar Mijit