CNN's Xinjiang report just an evil lie
Editor's note: On Friday CNN released a so-called exclusive report on the "missing Uygur people". However, the report has nothing new, it is just a repetition of old lies. Three experts share their views in this regard with China Daily's Yao Yuxin. Excerpts follow:
Evil intentions with Cold War mentality
In recent years, some Westerners are obsessed with hyping up Xinjiang-related affairs, slandering China's religious policies in disregard of basic facts and truth, and are constantly fabricating increasingly absurd lies. Such acts amount to interference in China's internal affairs and reek of ideological prejudice and a Cold War mentality.
Evil intentions are behind it. Some people in the United States are trying to use the issue to discredit China, misrepresent China's achievements, and exaggerate the so-called China threat. Besides, they want to split the unity of various ethnic groups in China, and destroy its relations with other countries. They also want to take advantage of the issue to boost US democracy, and cover up their own political decline and governance failure.
It must be noted that the Chinese government guarantees all citizens' rights to religious freedom in accordance with the law. People of all ethnic groups enjoy full freedom of religious belief. Xinjiang's stability and prosperity have undoubtedly proved the correctness of China's ethnic policy.
Some in the US who meddle in the affairs of other countries should pay greater attention to the enormous problems in their own country. Many reports show that the Muslim community in the US has for long been at the receiving end of targeted violence. Twenty-one years after 9/11, 62 percent of US Muslims still face discrimination, and 65 percent feel they are not respected in society. In fact, the Muslim community in the US is at the receiving end of hatred, bullying and discrimination and high level threat of violent attacks. These are the problems the US should work harder to contain.
History has its own way of doing justice. Those who stand on the wrong side of history should introspect themselves before they are written off by history. Some people in the US should understand this truth.
Diao Daming, an associate professor at the School of International Studies, Renmin University of China.
Effort to contain China's growth
Some Western media outlets are spreading rumors all day long, despite their theories lacking any credibility. Their purpose is to tarnish China's image, upset the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region's development path, create more hurdles for the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and serve the ultimate goal of containing China's rise. Nothing else.
None of their allegations hold up. Neither persecution nor forced labor is taking place in the region. These stories can only deceive people abroad, particularly those willing to believe them.
The West has never stopped picking on China. Rather than be disturbed, however, China should stick to what it needs to do to develop Xinjiang and achieve China's rejuvenation.
Pan Zhiping, former director of the Central Asia Research Institute, Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences.
Western media outlets' sinister plan apparent
This is possibly a lie fabricated by some Western media outlets, evidence that some of these outlets have long breached their journalistic ethics, which requires authenticity and objectivity. It will result in a loss of credibility.
In recent years, Western media outlets have fabricated a large number of rumors and lies about Xinjiang. Their goal is to try and drive a wedge between the Uygur and Han people and stir up chaos in Xinjiang, in order to block development in the region. They are also trying to smear the central government's governance in Xinjiang and damage its reputation abroad.
People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang have already seen through the Western media's sinister plans of spreading falsehoods about their region.
Liang Yuchun, dean at the institute for advanced study of ethnicity and society, Xinjiang Normal University.
