Xinjiang in eyes of foreign envoys

BEIJING -- An event hosted by Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in Beijing on Monday gathered 70 foreign envoys sharing their own views on Xinjiang with firsthand experiences.

These diplomats from 43 countries and international organizations in China told their stories with Xinjiang, using statistics and what they saw.

"Back then, I had just started my studies in China. I had the pleasure to sing and dance by the campus lake with my Uygur and Han classmates from Xinjiang, this remains as unforgettable as today's event," Somalia's Ambassador to China Hodan Osman Abdi recalled of her time in Zhejiang Normal University as an international student two decades ago.

In 2024, Xinjiang's regional GDP grew by 6.1 percent year on year, with over 77 percent of fiscal expenditure allocated to livelihood-related fields. The region received more than 300 million tourists and created 483,200 new urban jobs throughout last year, a local official said at the event.

"I must say numbers and actions speak louder than words. The social and economic progress is indeed very impressive," said Pakistani Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi.

"I visited Xinjiang twice last year, and travelled across the length and breadth. Urumqi, Kashgar and all the way to the Pakistan-China border. The region's progress is evident in its infrastructure, green energy hubs, digital economy, and increasing openness to the world," he added.

"The respect for multi-ethnic cultures in Xinjiang enables every group to preserve its cultural identity," remarked Bolivia's Ambassador to China Hugo Siles. He added that Xinjiang's prosperity and diversity, which he has experienced, epitomizes China's endeavor toward modernization.

"The people of Xinjiang are warm and open-hearted. They have the most say over Xinjiang's development," said Cuban Ambassador to China Alberto Blanco Silva, as a painting brought him back to the boundless grasslands, snow-capped mountains, and villages with ethnic charm of Xinjiang he experienced during his visit to the region.

"In recent years, I have heard of many new achievements in its economic growth, technological innovation, and cultural inheritance. I eagerly await the chance to return to the region," he said.

Xinjiang, a hub along the Silk Road, boasts unique geographical advantages for China's high-level opening-up to the outside world.

Xinjiang borders several of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), noted SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev, adding that platforms such as Urumqi International Land Port and Kashi Economic Development Zone are accelerating regional cooperation.

"Xinjiang is our primary 'land bridge' for trade with China," said Farhod Arziev, Uzbekistan's ambassador to China. Major transportation routes connecting the two countries pass through Xinjiang, including the landmark China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, which will open up new opportunities for further expansion of business and investment, he said.

The foreign envoys said that there was so much to explore in Xinjiang, from learning practices for desertification management to a trip to the natural landscape of meadows and ice-capped mountains in the region.

As the event was drawing to an end, Hodan, who just took office as the ambassador to China, said she cannot wait to arrange a visit to Xinjiang.