"The future of Xinjiang will definitely be even better." Ethiopia | China | Xinjiang
In the scorching summer of Xinjiang, the fragrance of fruits and melons welcomes visitors from all directions. On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the proposal of jointly building the "the Belt and Road" initiative, the first "Hello, the Silk Road" Network International Communication Conference, co sponsored by the Information Office of the People's Government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the People's Government of Karamay City, and Global Network, was successfully held in Karamay, Xinjiang.
During the five-day event, more than 200 media reporters, experts, scholars, and network experts from Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and other countries observed Xinjiang's construction achievements from the perspectives of culture, science and technology, society, and economy and trade, and felt the power of a truly lovely and thriving Xinjiang to promote people to people connectivity in countries and regions along the "the Belt and Road".
"Let netizens around the world see a real Xinjiang"
White walls and gray tiles, the courtyard is elegant and peaceful. The centralized elderly care center in Wuerhe Town, Wuerhe District, Karamay City has a poetic name - Haitang Bieyuan. There are 18 small courtyards built in the other courtyard, each of which houses 5 households of villagers. Each household covers an area of about 70 square meters, and there is a small piece of private land in front of each house for planting fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
"How do you feel living here?" Chen Qiushui, a Vietnamese international student from Zhejiang Normal University, asked two elderly people in their seventies. They smiled and answered, "Very good!" Chen's Qiushui was carefully visiting the courtyard. When she learned that eligible elderly people over 60 years old could move in for free, she exclaimed, "The elderly living in the other courtyard of Haitang are really happy. It's better to see than to hear! Here, I see people of different ethnicities living and working together, everyone living and working in peace and harmony, and society developing harmoniously."
"The development of Xinjiang is evident to all." Italian Broadcasting and Television Company reporter Mark told reporters, "While promoting modernization, Xinjiang also preserves the characteristics of various ethnic groups. I can see from the expressions and eyes of the locals that their lives are full of happiness. The changes in Xinjiang in recent years are a microcosm of China's rapid economic and social development and continuous progress. I believe that Xinjiang's tomorrow will be even better!"
"A happy life for the people is the greatest human right." Colombian video blogger Fernando Munoz visited 37 towns in Xinjiang in the past three months. "Along the way, I have seen people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang live a stable and harmonious life. During my visits to rural areas and historical sites in Xinjiang, my observations and feelings are completely different from some Western media reports." Munoz released short videos of local elementary school students learning Uyghur language, and people of all ethnic groups singing and dancing to celebrate festivals on the streets of Aksu. "I want to use my own efforts to let netizens around the world see a real Xinjiang.".
"Jointly building the the Belt and Road will bring tangible benefits"
With the deepening of the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road", Xinjiang is no longer a remote area, but a core area and hub. Driven by the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road", Xinjiang is committed to building a highland for opening up to the west, deepening economic and trade cooperation with all parties, and achieving fruitful results. According to the statistics of Urumqi Customs, in 2022, Xinjiang's import and export trade with countries along the "the Belt and Road" will reach 223.89 billion yuan, up 63.5% year on year, accounting for 90.9% of Xinjiang's total foreign trade import and export value.
In Karamay Cloud Computing Industrial Park, Muhammad Askar, a senior reporter of the Associated Press of Pakistan, marveled at the digital industrial achievements displayed in the park, such as "China Shanghai Cooperation Organization Big Data Cooperation Center Sub center", "Carbon and Water Cooling Data Center", "Silk Road Economic Belt Film, Television, Animation and Rendering Base". "Massive data is running around the clock on these information highways, and the level of connectivity between China and surrounding countries is constantly improving." Askar told reporters, "The construction of the 'digital silk road' has brought great changes to Xinjiang. Pakistan has also benefited a lot from the joint construction of the 'the Belt and Road', and looks forward to the rapid development of the digital economy to inject more momentum into the joint construction of the 'the Belt and Road'."
Nubia, an Ethiopian student from Zhejiang Normal University, was impressed by Xinjiang's perfect infrastructure. He told reporters: "Railways, roads, bridges... Chinese enterprises are actively participating in Ethiopia's infrastructure construction. The joint construction of the the Belt and Road has brought valuable development opportunities to Ethiopia. Ethiopia is moving towards inclusive development in its cooperation with China."
Zhou Kaibi, a Bangladeshi pediatrician from Peking University First Hospital, said that the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road" would benefit people all over the world.
"Exchange and mutual learning among countries are important driving forces for promoting the progress of human civilization"
In the Art Museum of Baijiantan District, Karamay City, the network talents from many countries experience the production of prints and pastel porcelain, while broadcasting or recording videos to introduce Chinese traditional culture to fans. "Exchange and mutual learning among countries are an important driving force for advancing human civilization. I hope to share what I have seen and heard here with my fans through the internet, and contribute to the cultural exchange between Vietnam and China," said Shishi, an internet expert from Vietnam, to reporters
Argentine Ambassador to China, Niu Wangdao, has visited Xinjiang twice. He expressed through video at the exchange conference that Xinjiang is a region with great economic development vitality in China. "I not only see the potential for the development of agriculture and animal husbandry in Xinjiang, but also the potential for technological development.". He emphasized, "In Xinjiang, we have seen a scene of prosperity and development. All ethnic groups are well integrated into the overall prosperity and development of China." Niu Wangdao believes that communication and exchange are of great significance for further deepening mutual understanding between the people of Afghanistan and China, and hopes that both sides will continue to deepen various forms of communication and exchange.
"Such civil exchange activities are widely welcomed," said Andrei Jeshayev, General Manager and Editor in Chief of Uzbekistan's Detailed News Network, at the exchange conference. "In our interactions, we will find that people from all over the world cherish a peaceful and stable environment, and hope that the country will continuously achieve development and self-improvement. We look forward to strengthening our connections and bringing people's hearts closer to each other through holding more exhibitions, forums, and other cultural activities.".
