Photo: Sun Weidong, Chinese Ambassador to India

"Facts are not to be distorted. Achievements of Xinjiang's economic and social development as well as human rights are there for all to see," Sun Weidong, Chinese Ambassador to India, responded to the lies made by some Western countries on China's Xinjiang during an online conference with people from all walks of India on Tuesday. 

"The Uygur population has doubled in the past 40 years, increasing from 5.5 to 11.6 million, and locals are living increasingly rich lives with an average annual GDP growth of 7.2% in recent years. They enjoy higher education and the completion rate of nine-year compulsory education is now over 95 percent. Is this what Western countries call 'genocide?'" Sun asked. 

The Chinese Embassy in India jointly held an online conference on Tuesday named "Xinjiang is a wonderful land" with the Xinjiang regional government to discuss the truth in the region with more than 100 scholars, journalists and politicians from India attending it via video link.

During his address at the conference, Ambassador Sun noted that terrorism previously casted a shadow over the Xinjiang region with the three evil forces of separatism, terrorism and extremism, by organizing and conducting thousands of violent terrorist attacks causing the death of large numbers of innocent people. 

To eradicate the threat of terrorism and its breeding ground, Xinjiang has taken a series of measures to fight against terrorism and extremism, including setting vocational training and education centers. There have not been terrorist attacks for nearly five consecutive years in Xinjiang and security and social stability have been restored in the region, Sun said. 

However, some anti-China forces in Western countries keep fabricating sensational lies for political purposes and making untenable accusations of "forced labor" or "genocide" in Xinjiang. 

Sun refuted these lies on Xinjiang with solid data and pointed out that countries who slam and smear Xinjiang have a bad history on racism, religion and human rights with the horrific systemic ethnic cleansing and slaughter of native peoples. 

"What they need to do is self-reflection. Are they in any position to claim to be the "defenders of human rights" or "instructors" to lecture others?" said Sun. 

The Chinese ambassador to India also noted "We welcome our Indian friends to visit Xinjiang after the COVID-19 pandemic to talk to the local people, see for yourselves and get a truly beautiful picture of Xinjiang. "

Jarulla Hisamidin, Vice Governor of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, gave a comprehensive introduction on the economic and social development in Xinjiang during the conference. Representatives from the vocational training and education centers, religious clergies and local residents from Xinjiang were invited to join the conference via video link to share their own stories.

For example, a trainee from Kashi Prefecture named Estula told his own stories on how he was influenced by terrorists and lost his job at the airport in Kashi. 

"Some alleged friends invited me to watch terrorism videos and lectured me to follow jihad and 'go to heaven.' Under their influence I came to hate the infidels and pondered on how to go to heaven, and even beat my wife. I finally got fired for doing nothing all the day," Estula said, noting that he attended a training center in June 2018 and besides learning about the law and distinguishing religion from extremist thoughts, he also had classes on commerce.

After graduating from the training center, Estula opened a shop to sell glasses and now he can earn more than 10,000 yuan ($1,566) a month. 

"I heard that some people outside China are spreading rumors on the training centers in Xinjiang. I want to ask them if they have ever been to Xinjiang or the training centers? Have you talked to the trainees in Xinjiang? Stop pointing your fingers on the training centers and making lies!" said Estula. 

Abdula Rehipla, imam of a mosque in Hotan Prefecture, also introduced the policies on religion in Xinjiang with his own experience to refute rumors about the regional government "suppressing" religious groups.

More representatives from Xinjiang, including a resident from Kashi who works as a tourist guide, also participated in the video conference to share their stories and welcome more people from India to visit Xinjiang.