Xinjiang seminar counters Western critics

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region presented an online seminar on Wednesday to convey information about its labor and employment situation to the permanent Chinese delegates at the UN office in Geneva, Switzerland.

Erkin Tuniyaz, vice-chairman of the Xinjiang government, said the region attaches great importance to the promotion of employment. The average annual income of employees in Xinjiang reached about 30,000 yuan ($4,650).

He countered charges from the United States and some other anti-China forces in the West about Xinjiang, such as the alleged use of "forced labor". He said that by throwing mud on Xinjiang, from cotton cultivation to solar technology, the West aims to dampen the development of the region.

Any attempt to disrupt the prosperity and development of Xinjiang or to prevent its people from embracing a better life is bound to fail, he said.

In the first seven months of this year, the region's foreign trade registered year-on-year growth of 14 percent. During the same period, more than 120 million tourists visited the region.

"Indexes show that Xinjiang enjoys social stability and economic prosperity. It will surely have a bright future," he said.

He added that he sincerely welcomes visitors to the region to investigate for themselves the employment situation of people from various ethnic groups and to see how they lead their lives.

During the event, farmers joined employees from the textile and energy sectors in sharing their personal work experiences.