Responsibility and Confidence: Senior Xinjiang official talks about key economic areas and 7% GDP growth in 2023
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The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has been in the spotlight in recent years due to its economic and social development. The Vice Chairman of the regional government talks about Xinjiang's economic and social development plan, its efforts to leverage its position on the Silk Road Economic Belt, and the priority to further boost its agricultural sector. Let's take a closer look at what the region has achieved in the past and what lies ahead.

At the annual Two Sessions meeting, delegates are embarking on a busy and intense schedule. At this juncture, I sat down with the Vice Chairman of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region government to discuss some of the key questions regarding the region.

DAI KAIYI CGTN Reporter "Good to see you, Vice Governor Kaiser. My first question is: How was the economic and social development plan in Xinjiang executed in the past year? With a target of around 7% GDP growth in 2023, how can the region achieve this goal and boost development?"

KAISER ABDUKERIM, Vice Chairman, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region government "The year of 2022 was an unusually significant year for Xinjiang's development. General Secretary Xi Jinping once again visited Xinjiang last year. Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee and the State Council and with the selfless assistance of the people across the country, we achieved economic growth despite the challenging and complex situation.

From last year and the beginning of this year, the head of Xinjiang Party Committee, Ma Xingrui, and our governor of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Erkin Tuniyaz, sent experts and government officials to the neighboring provinces and advanced provinces in China to learn advanced experiences and invite experts and government officials from the advanced and neighboring provinces to Xinjiang to investigate, analyze, and survey and put a very good constructive suggestions for Xinjiang's potential development.

This year, our aim to get the GDP about 7%. We will vigorously stimulate the development vitality of various market entities and actively create a good atmosphere for state-owned enterprises to be bold, private enterprises to be daring, and foreign enterprises to be willing to invest."

DAI KAIYI CGTN Reporter "Xinjiang has been at the heart of the Silk Road since ancient times, and this year marks the tenth anniversary of China's Belt and Road Initiative. What's Xinjiang's plan to leverage its advantages to build the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt and promote high-quality development?"

KAISER ABDUKERIM, Vice Chairman, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region government "Xinjiang's important position in China westward opening pattern is increasingly prominent. In the future, we will drive the construction of the core area of Silk Road Economic Belt, innovate the open economic system, focus on building the Asia-Europe Golden Corridor and the bridgehead for opening up to the west. We will optimize the opening hub of the Urumqi International Land Port Zone, enhance the opening function of the Kashgar and Horgos Economic Development Zones, promoting larger-scale, wider-ranging and deeper-level- high-level opening up."

DAI KAIYI CGTN Reporter "The autonomous region eliminated the regional poverty in its southern area, but consolidating and expanding the poverty alleviation and rural vitalization is still a priority. In which way can Xinjiang further build up its agricultural industry, increase farmers' income, and enhance the sense of gain and happiness of people of all ethnic groups?"

KAISER ABDUKERIM, Vice Chairman, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region government "First of all, please allow me to list a set of data first: By the end of 2020, 3.06 million poverty stricken rural population, 3,666 poor villages and 35 poor counties have been removed from the poverty list in Xinjiang. Xinjiang has abundant water, soil, light, heat and genetic resources, sufficient arable land, ranking in the top five in China. The glacier and snow water of 'Beautiful Xinjiang' has nurtured a large number of unique and high-quality agricultural products.

In the future, we will promote the modernization of agriculture, promote the steady production and quality improvement of the cotton industry. Strengthen the optimization and allocation of water resources, that means we have the good use of water in Xinjiang and promote the construction of high-standard farmland.

Adhere to the dual drive of science and technology and reform, and focus on stimulating the vitality, dynamism of agricultural and rural development. Highlight the construction of agro-industrial clusters, accelerate the construction of a modern agricultural industrial system. Consolidate and expand the achievements of poverty alleviation, and make every effort to increase farmers' income, and promote the construction of livable, entrepreneurial, and beautiful villages. That means we will make the rural area in Xinjiang more beautiful, more livable in the future."

DAI KAIYI CGTN Reporter "Xinjiang has abundant tourism resources, and the autonomous region's work report also mentioned that it'll accelerate the recovery of the tourism industry. How can Xinjiang boost the industry, and provide tourists with a satisfactory and enjoyable experience?"

KAISER ABDUKERIM Vice Chairman, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region government "First of all, you are welcome to travel to Xinjiang, and we're so excited to have visitors from all around the world. In Xinjiang, You can see the sunset in Urumqi and then fly to the magnificent Pamir Plateau to see it again.

It is a place where multiple religions, multiple ethnic groups, multiple culture, multiple civilizations coexist. It was an important gateway on the ancient Silk Road, where four great civilizations met and left behind rich cultural heritage. With numerous world-class tourism resources, Xinjiang is a dream destination for travelers from both home and abroad. In the coming days, we will be implementing the 'Boosting Tourism of Xinjiang' initiative. Our goal is to transform Xinjiang from a tourist resource-rich area to a strong tourism economy area. Our aim is not only to ensure visitors have a satisfying and enjoyable stay in Xinjiang but also to help them fall in love with our magnificent scenery and experience the warm hospitality of over 25 million people in Xinjiang."

DAI KAIYI CGTN Reporter "In recent years, Xinjiang's achievements in counter terrorism and de-radicalization have been remarkable. What does Xinjiang plan to do for its future stability? And how does it respond in the face of complex international public opinion regarding the region?"

KAISER ABDUKERIM, Vice Chairman, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region government "My friends from other parts of China often ask me why Xinjiang has become such a popular tourist destination in recent years. I told them that, first and foremost, it's because it's one of the safest places in China. The sense of security among public increasing from 87% in 2012 to 99% now.

We will always adhere to the people-centered approach, deeply implement Xi Jinping's rule of law thinking, comprehensively deepen the rule of law in Xinjiang, better play the role of the rule of law in guaranteeing the fundamentals, stabilization, expectations, and benefiting the long-term, and adhere to the construction of Xinjiang under the rule of law, a government under the rule of law, and a society under the rule of law.

In recent years, some countries have spread rumors about the so-called 'Xinjiang issue', using it as an excuse to stir up trouble and blatantly interfere in China's internal affairs. What I want to say is that the doors of Xinjiang are always open, and the doors of truth are always open. An old saying is that: 'Seeing is believing.' We hope that more people will come to beautiful Xinjiang, get closer to our more than 25 million people in Xinjiang, visit our bazaars, villages, see our way of life, hear our voices, and feel and share the real Xinjiang."

DAI KAIYI CGTN Reporter "Xinjiang has long been a multi-ethnic area. In recent years, great progress has been made in ensuring the equality, solidarity, and human rights of all ethnic groups. How can Xinjiang effectively enhance the awareness of the Chinese national community and promote common purpose by all ethnic groups, stability, and development of human rights to a higher quality and level?"

KAISER ABDUKERIM, Vice Chairman, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region government "Xinjiang has been a multi-ethnic region since ancient times, and the various ethnic groups in Xinjiang are members of the Chinese nation. For over 70 years, the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government have always adhered to the human rights concept of 'putting people at the center,' and regard the right to survival and development as the most important basic human right.

Right now, people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are like siblings, brothers and sisters, helping and caring for each other. We are so tightly united like the seeds of a pomegranate, we will always adhere to the principle of maximizing the protection of the survival and development rights of all ethnic groups; protect and inherit the outstanding traditional culture of all ethnic groups according to law, continuously improve public cultural services, social security efforts, and the medical system. We will continuously improve the conditions of religious venues and protect the freedom of religious beliefs of citizens according to law. We will protect the equal rights of all ethnic groups to a greater extent and at a higher level.

The people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang will usher in a better and happier tomorrow. The famous American anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan once said, "Xinjiang is the cradle of world culture and the key to opening the four great civilizations of the world." The famous Chinese scholar Ji Xianlin also said, "In the history of all mankind, there are only four cultural systems that have far-reaching influence and a long history: Chinese, Indian, Islamic, and Greco-Roman cultural systems. The only place where these four major cultural systems converge is the Xinjiang region of China." Xinjiang has breathtaking natural scenery, delicious fruits and food, and unique cultural landscapes. In the end, I warmly welcome you to Xinjiang."

DAI KAIYI CGTN Reporter "Thank you very much for your precious time."

KAISER ABDUKERIM, Vice Chairman, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region government "It's my pleasure, and look at this painting, Xinjiang just like this painting – glacier, green, and pine tree, grass land, and horses, and river, you know, and we have an old saying that, 'if you do not come to Xinjiang, you don't know how big China is, if you do not come to Xinjiang, you don't know how big, how beautiful China is.' We are so beautiful, we are so hospitable, we are welcome all people from the country, and the world to Xinjiang. Thank you very much." 

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