Women in traditional garb chat during a break from a group dance during the Corban Festival in Hotan. Photo: Liu Xin, Fan Lingzhi/GT

In the past decade, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region witnessed booming development with regional GDP climbing to 1.6 trillion yuan ($0.23 trillion) last year, which doubled the figure of 2012, and the people's sense of public security has been elevated to 99.14 percent compared with 87.58 percent 10 years ago. An expert said such numbers serve as an iron counterstrike against rumors and slanders against the region coming from Western countries, especially the US. 

The Xinjiang govt held a press conference on Saturday telling the public the region's achievements in the past decade. During this time, 3.06 million population were lifted out of poverty, and absolute poverty was solved in the region.

The region's GDP in 2021 reached 1.6 trillion yuan, double the figure of 2021, which was 0.74 trillion. Xinjiang also created 4.99 million jobs in the past 10 years. Basically, all people with the ability to work have been employed, according to the conference.

Xinjiang is also edging up its infrastructure. It has more than 8,768 kilometers of railroad line in service, the total length of roads reached 217, 300 kilometers. The region owns 24 civilian airports, which is more than other parts of the country.

Meanwhile, public sense of safety jumped to 99.14 percent in 2021 from 87.58 percent in 2012. 

Photo: Fan Lingzhi

For the past few years, the US has smeared China's counter-terrorism efforts in Xinjiang. In the latest move, the US banned all goods produced in China's Xinjiang in June, following the enactment of a forced labor law signed by President Joe Biden last year.

Wang Jiang, an expert at the Institute of China's Borderland Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, told the Global Times that since 2018, Western countries have intensified their slander and edged up efforts of using Xinjiang as a card to contain China in the super power competition arena. 

Yet these numbers reflect the truth of Xinjiang and defy Western lies, by showing to the world how much Xinjiang has progressed in its own development, said Wang. 

Wang is also confident that Xinjiang will keep up the momentum in the future, despite pressure from Western countries. Xinjiang is supported by the vast domestic market, and it is gradually connecting with neighboring countries, thus as long as Xinjiang seizes the opportunity, its development will be further stimulated, said Wang. 

Statistics from the conference also show that Xinjiang's business environment is improving. According to the conference, the region has established trade and economic relations with 176 countries and regions, has more than 2.21 million market entities, which is twice the number in 2012.

A total of 6,242 trains have started from Xinjiang to travel to Europe and central Asia, with an annual increase of 55.1 percent, which has changed Xinjiang from an enclosed inland to the frontier of opening up. 

Xinjiang's development in the past decade Graphic:GT

Xinjiang's development in the past decade Graphic: Feng Qingyin/GT

 
 

Xinjiang's development in the past decade Graphic:GT

 

Xinjiang's development in the past decade Graphic:GT