Stop vilifying China's efforts to fight terrorism, extremism

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has recently joined some Western politicians and media to vilify China's efforts to counter terrorism and extremism in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Such groundless accusations must be stopped.

If people take an unbiased and objective approach, it is not hard for them to see a real Xinjiang that is making progress in maintaining stability while protecting the rights of the people.

Vocational education and training centers were set up to help people affected by terrorism and extremism to learn languages, study laws and acquire skills so that they can rid themselves of the control of religious extremism and live a better life.

This approach addresses both the symptoms and root causes.

A region that was victim to frequent violent terrorist attacks, Xinjiang is much safer now. There has not been a single terrorist attack there in more than two years. People of all ethnic groups have a greater sense of security.

Stable jobs and decent income are good shields to keep terrorism away.

Vocational education and training centers prepare trainees for modern-day jobs. Courses on clothing and footwear making, food processing, electronic product assembly, typesetting and printing, hairdressing and e-commerce were set up to suit the local job market, according to the regional government.

In addition, multi-skill training is provided to those who have the desire and capability to learn, so that they acquire one to two vocational skills upon course completion. Businesses in garment making, mobile phone assembly and ethnic cuisine catering are arranged to give trainees a chance to practice what they learn and get paid for it. The mechanism in place is for the trainees to "learn, practice and earn money."

It is ridiculous to demonize such a good-intentioned and results-yielding program as a human rights violation.

People who made vicious accusations often portrayed these counter-terrorism and de-extremism efforts as actions specifically targeting certain ethnic or religious groups.

But let it be clear that it is a consistent position of the Chinese government to oppose linking terrorism with any specific ethnic group or religion.

People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang enjoy full freedom of religious belief, the right to use their own spoken and written languages in accordance with the law and have their cultural rights guaranteed by law and fully respected.

Xinjiang has 24,400 mosques for its 13 million Muslims. That means 530 Muslims share one mosque on average, compared to 910 people for one mosque in Turkey, according to China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

Overall, Xinjiang has become richer and more open. Last year, the per capita disposable income of its residents rose by 7.6 percent to a record high of 21,500 yuan (about 3,176 U.S. dollars). The region hosted 150 million tourists, up 40 percent from 2017.

To people from overseas who attack China's policies in Xinjiang, please do not let ignorance blind your sight, and do not let prejudice destroy your ability to think straight.