Xinjiang, New Zealand online meeting exchanges foster understanding

An online meeting was held for officials and representatives of different ethnic groups in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to conduct exchanges with people from the media, non-government organizations and think tanks in New Zealand on Friday.

The event, themed "Xinjiang is a Wonderful Land", was co-held by the autonomous region and the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand. Representatives of different ethnic groups shared their experience living, working or participating in religious activities in Xinjiang, which busts the lies disseminated by some anti-China forces in the West about the region, such as the Uygur-targeted "genocide", "forced labor" and "mass sterilization".

Shawkat Imin, director of the standing committee of the regional people's congress, said Xinjiang is embracing an unprecedented period of prosperity. However, some Western politicians choose to believe the rumors and thorough lies fabricated with ulterior motives rather than the true views of more than 25 million people living in Xinjiang.

"What they want is to create the so-called Xinjiang issue to undermine security and stability in Xinjiang and hold back China's development. We will firmly oppose and strongly condemn these kinds of behaviors," he said.

He added that they welcome visitors to tour across the region to learn more about the truth and facts in Xinjiang.

Since the end of 2018, more than 1,200 people, including United Nations officials, foreign ambassadors and reporters from over 100 countries and regions, have come to visit Xinjiang, according to Li Xuejun, deputy director of the standing committee of the regional people's congress.