Combating disinformation: Responsible travel content creation in Xinjiang

My first encounter with Xinjiang was at a family-owned ethnic restaurant in Dongguan, where my student's family took me for lunch over two decades ago. As you can see in this 2019 video, "My Favorite Restaurant," BaoBingYangRou was my initial introduction to the region. All this was before I had ever visited Xinjiang.

Challenging Western Narratives

Over the years, I've encountered numerous Western headlines about Xinjiang. Having lived in China for more than a decade, I found such coverage difficult to believe. In April 2021, I decided to embark on a journey with my wife and a friend to Xinjiang. Our goal was to counter the prevailing narrative by demonstrating that anyone can freely visit and document their experiences. These are the videos I made then.

Since then, I've created over 30 videos about Xinjiang, exploring various aspects of western narratives about the region. During my 2023 five-month RV road trip, I covered over 15,000 kilometers and visited more than 40 locations while posting videos. While I can't say if I've changed anything, it's clear that my content faces censorship on Western social media platforms. Western mainstream media have little interest in my story and the recent allocation of $1.6 billion by the US Senate to vilify China has reignited the same old debunked allegations.

The Limitations of Popular Xinjiang Content

With China's recent relaxation of visa policies, more and more bloggers are visiting Xinjiang. Unfortunately, many of them are constrained by time or budget, leading them to focus on the same three popular destinations: the Grand Bazaar, the ancient city of Kashgar and the food market in Hotan. This is precisely the itinerary I followed on my first trip in 2021.

The "Xinjiang Disney" Myth

Western NGOs have coined the term "Xinjiang Disney," falsely suggesting that tourists are restricted in their exploration of Xinjiang. Unintentionally, popular video creators reinforce this false narrative by repeatedly showcasing the same limited set of locations.

A Call for Responsible Content Creation

While I don't have a solution to this dilemma, I condemn the exploitation of Xinjiang's struggles for clickbait by some bloggers. While they may attract interest in the region, I believe all visitors to Xinjiang share a responsibility of how we portray it, as this can significantly impact the livelihoods of the people we care about.

As for me, I will continue to work to fight disinformation. I have recently created my own website and new social media accounts - mediawithoutmeans.org - to collaborate with journalists from around the world to tell their untold stories. I’m glad to announce that next month, I will participate in an international forum organized by the Centro Social Gomes Gaioso, in Galicia, Spain, where I have been invited to do a presentation and a Q&A session on Xinjiang.

Together we can continue to create the Xinjiang of tomorrow.

The author is a commentator from Colombia.

The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

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