Xinjiang allegations falling on deaf ears

Recently, a new round of hysteria began in the Western media about the alleged genocide of the Uygur population of China. This comes during a broad campaign by the West against Beijing, of which this allegation is only a part.

Aggressive, unsubstantiated criticism of China is a characteristic feature of the Western media. And the more success Beijing has had in economic and social development, the more often this criticism is heard.

After China's announcement of a successful fight against poverty, the Western media began to talk even more about new problems allegedly taking place in the country - the “infringement of human rights in Xinjiang” against the Uygur population.

The topic is not new and has been discussed by certain outlets for quite a long time.

The development of fake news about vocational education and training centers in Xinjiang, alas, is common practice.

BBC reporters John Sudworth and Matthew Hill became fabricators in this regard at the end of 2020. In their story about "large-scale forced labor" in Xinjiang, the reporters took photographs in an area not related to the one described in the report.

Unfortunately, their audience absorbs what they're told, not listening to or giving credence to statements from Beijing, which has repeatedly clarified the essence and tasks of these centers. The main purpose of these centers was to provide employment for the Uygur population and improve their education. To do this, the local population learns Mandarin and acquires skills in various trades.

In any country, not knowing the lingua franca and having no professional training are obstacles in finding work. The Chinese government is trying to remove these obstacles so the Uygur population has the opportunity to earn money, make a career, build a business and not languish in poverty.

Such centers are effective innovative mechanisms, in some ways similar to the systems of mass education and reprofiling of working skills in Europe. They are one element of the policy of modern China to create and develop effective social programs, where the main objects of care and attention are the ordinary people.

It should be noted in recent decades, the Chinese government has been directing financial resources toward the development of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. These subsidies allowed Xinjiang to embark on a rapid economic development path and directly contributed to improving the living standards of the local people.

As a result of the measures taken by the Chinese government, Xinjiang's economy is developing at a stable pace. The annual growth of Xinjiang's GDP averages at least 10 percent. This is a very high figure, indicating the degree of government concern and the prospects for the region.

The region is also expanding cooperation with countries of Central Asia in the field of tourism and trade. It is no coincidence more than half of Xinjiang's foreign trade is with Central Asian countries. The Chinese authorities are expanding Xinjiang's foreign economic potential and turning Xinjiang into one of the more economically developed regions.

Xinjiang is on the path to prosperity. The authorities are doing everything to pull people out of darkness, where extremist currents are trying to keep them. The actions of the authorities are not a struggle against religion, but for the future of the Uygur population, who deserve a better future.

China focuses on Xinjiang's development without being distracted by ridiculous Western claims. Beijing does not harm anyone, but only wants Chinese citizens to live safe, happy lives, while Washington commits grave crimes in the name of "fighting terrorism". It is time for the West to look at their own problems instead of pointing the finger elsewhere.

Seymur Mammadov is the director of the international expert club EurAsiaAz and editor-in-chief of Azerbaijan news agency Baku Tribune.

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of China Daily and China Daily website.

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