We are sharing with you the observations and experiences of Aydınlık newspaper’s Editorial Director, Tevfik Kadan, during his visit to Xinjiang in October 2023.

Urumqi is the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. It’s 45% Uyghur and 55% Han Chinese. With its ancient history, rich culture, and modern architecture, it’s a great Chinese miracle.

This is a lively city. There’s a festival atmosphere at every corner… The kind of festival we organize for a few days each year. The streets are bustling with activity. The International Grand Bazaar in the city center is a replica of our Grand Bazaar. Everywhere you look, there are brightly lit shops, Uyghurs in traditional clothing playing songs and dancing in the square… They love dancing and eating. Even ancient Chinese sources mention that Uyghurs ate a lot. I guess they haven’t given up on that habit. Street vendors all around the city are cooking their delicious-smelling food. Lambs are roasting on one corner, while pilaf with meat is being sautéed on another. And everything is halal… I suggest you see it for yourself, because I have a lot to share…

XINJIANG THEOLOGICAL FACULTY RENOVATED AND EXPANDED

The first place we visited in Urumqi was the Xinjiang Theological Faculty. At the entrance of the school, there is a giant pomegranate decoration. It turns out that President Xi Jinping says all ethnic groups in China are connected like the seeds of a pomegranate.

We are greeted by the Dean of the Faculty and Vice President of the China Islamic Association, Abdulkerim Turniyaz. The building they have is like a palace compared to the repurposed schools that are universities in Turkey. First, we enter the 1,000-person mosque on the campus, and then we sit in a circle in front of the pulpit and start our conversation. Turniyaz tells us that the faculty buildings are new and that they have expanded 5.7 times compared to the old ones. He mentions that the Chinese Central Government allocates an annual budget of 700 million yuan to them. They have a total of 8 schools in southern and northern Xinjiang, including Kashgar and Hotan, with 1,900 students. Half of them come from rural areas. Each student receives a monthly stipend of 600 yuan…

After a short conversation, we leave the mosque and go down to the basement of the school. Here, students are taught how to perform ablution, wash a body for burial, and other such topics. Then we tour the dormitories and enter a classroom. On the students’ desks, there are Qur’ans. One page is in Arabic, and the opposite page is in Chinese. Mr. Turniyaz mentions that 60% of the education at the school is related to religious subjects. In addition to this, they also teach law and culture courses. Islamic culture is thoroughly covered. Turniyaz says, “Even naming children is included in this.”

We ask where the students who study here work after they graduate. Ninety-five percent of the graduates work as imams in mosques. Some go on to higher education at the China Islamic Faculty. Or they can work in one of the more than 100 Islamic associations throughout Xinjiang.

The school also has a three-story library. It houses 45,000 books, 5,300 of which are on religious topics. The rest are on culture, history, politics, and books in the languages of ethnic groups. It includes Kutadgu Bilig and the Divan-ı Lugat-it Türk… The books are in Chinese, Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, and Sibe.

Mr. Turniyaz bids us farewell with these words: “We conduct our affairs independently. However, religious beliefs must comply with the laws. Illegal activities cannot be permitted. This is one of our goals.”

24,000 MOSQUES AND 29,000 RELIGIOUS OFFICIALS IN XINJIANG

After visiting the Theological Faculty, we attend a conference titled “The Legal Protection of Islam in Xinjiang.” The speaker is Professor Dr. Ma Pinyan from Xinjiang University, who is also a Council Member of the Chinese Academy of Religions.

In his presentation, he details how various religions and beliefs came to China during different periods. Today, there are six main religions in the region. The largest of these, Islam, entered China via the Silk Road at the end of the 9th century. The first to embrace it was Satuk Bughra Khan, the leader of the Karakhanids. His tomb is now located in the town of Atush in the Kizilsu region. Professor Ma continues:

“Islam became dominant in Xinjiang after the 16th century. Today, 10 ethnic groups believe in Islam. Every citizen in Xinjiang has the freedom to believe in any religion or not to believe. Religious freedom is the essence of the Chinese Communist Party’s policy on religious affairs. No one can be discriminated against based on their beliefs. This applies to sects as well.”

Professor Ma states that there are currently 24,000 mosques and 29,300 religious officials in Xinjiang. The Central Government allocated 200 million yuan for the construction of the Theological Faculty. The Central Government is also responsible for the restoration of historic mosques and tombs. Due to the high cost of beef in the country, Muslims even receive additional support. In fact, some Han Chinese argue that this disrupts equality.

Professor Ma concludes his presentation by saying, “Extremism exists in all countries. For example, Al-Qaeda has caused great harm to Muslim countries. Extremists in Xinjiang also joined Al-Qaeda. They shout Islamic slogans under the name of East Turkestan, but they are not Muslims. Religious extremism is not a religion or belief. They are using Islam as a tool.”

‘EDUCATION CENTERS HAVE SAVED MANY LIVES’

During the Q&A session, the topic of “camps” comes up. Professor Ma explains that these are education centers and adds: “We established education centers for those who were only slightly influenced by extremism. The Westerners criticized us a lot. But we reintegrated these people into society rather than letting them fall into extremism. The education centers saved many lives. Islamic extremism caused many violent incidents in Xinjiang. For many years, I researched whether Islam was a war-mongering religion. No, it’s not; they have slandered Islam. Islam is a peace-loving religion. We are not attacking Islam, we are just fighting against radicals. As an academic, I am satisfied with the stance of the Chinese Government.”

I also asked Professor Ma a question. I explained how terrorists targeting China were transported to Syria by the U.S., how these terrorists martyred Turkish soldiers, and are now fighting against the Syrian army. I then asked whether China should engage in armed cooperation with countries like Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran to succeed in its fight against terrorism. Mr. Ma confirmed what I had said and expressed hope that cooperation between China and other countries affected by extremism would be strengthened.

THE SYMBOL OF THE CITY IS NASREDDIN HODJA

Here, we are a group of 22 journalists from different parts of the world. Among us are Germans and Filipinos… I occasionally ask them about their observations, especially the Westerners… They say they are impressed by the development efforts in the region. They mention that they haven’t observed any discrimination or abnormal situations. As we start exploring the city, daily life becomes even clearer. We walk around Urumqi freely, without any officials accompanying us. We enter side streets from main avenues, and shop in stores. During this time, we have the chance to have private conversations with many Uyghurs. Far from complaining, they are very satisfied with the Central Government’s approach… They talk about the dark days when terrorism dominated the city. They mention how they used to live in poor conditions, with inadequate infrastructure, and couldn’t earn a good living. Now, they are happy to host a peaceful and modern city.

Signs, announcements, and songs throughout the city are in Uyghur… The symbol of the city is Nasreddin Hodja, with his long beard and donkey… Traditional clothing is a part of daily life. What gives the city its soul is the sound of the dutar on every corner… I think we haven’t been able to preserve our traditions as well as they have…

THE REALITY OF XINJIANG IN NUMBERS

In another meeting we attended in Urumqi, the topic was “Preserving, Inheriting, and Developing the Traditional Culture of All Ethnic Groups in Xinjiang.” This time, the speaker is Liu Bin. He explains Xinjiang to us with numbers.

According to the information provided by Mr. Liu, books are published in six different languages in 13 publishing houses in the region. These languages are Chinese, Mongolian, Kazakh, Uyghur, Kyrgyz, and Sibe. Eight of the 12 magazines are owned by minority groups. Of the 100 newspapers, 52 are also owned by minorities. The largest newspaper in the region, the Xinjiang Daily, is published in four different languages. Radio and television stations operate in five languages. Film production studios have been established in Urumqi and Kashgar to preserve the languages of ethnic groups. Thirteen associations have been formed for artistic activities. Classical works of ethnic groups are being compiled by the Historical Records Office. The Kutadgu Bilig and the Divan-ı Lugat-it Türk, published as part of this effort, have been in high demand in the region and have gone through several printings.

The Uyghurs’ Muqam Art and Meshrep Music, the Kyrgyz’s Manas Epic, the Tibetans’ and Mongolians’ Gesar Epic… All have been carefully preserved. Applications have been made to UNESCO for these works. So far, four works have been included in the “World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage” list.

As of 2022, 130 workshops have been established throughout Xinjiang to preserve unwritten traditions. There are 120 conservation areas and five markets in the region. A special budget has also been allocated for the creation of works by ethnic groups…

Professor Liu lists many more statistics about the investments made for ethnic groups in the region, especially the Uyghurs. He concludes his presentation with these words: “Religion cannot maintain its dynamism unless it merges with modernism.” At the end of the conference, I asked Mr. Liu for a copy of his presentation. I will share it all again on these pages soon.

THE DEEP SCARS OF EXTREMIST TERRORISM

We are convinced that there is religious freedom in Urumqi, that traditions are protected. But they insist on continuing to explain. The reason becomes clear when we visit the “Exhibition on Combating Terrorism and Extremism.”

Starting in the early 1990s, extremist terrorism swept through the region. The images are unbelievable. They butchered people walking on the streets with axes. They massacred civilians, regardless of age or gender. Bombs exploding in public, vehicles plowing into crowds, women being slashed by perverts… All of this is documented in the exhibition. The perpetrator is the terrorist organization known as the “East Turkestan Islamic Party.” These people are no different from ISIS. In fact, they are now hand in hand with them in Syria.

I have journalist friends from Iran and Pakistan with me. We all agree that these images have nothing to do with Islam. After this exhibition, we can better understand the changes in the region. This city was on the brink of collapse. Once the swamp was drained, life could flourish. Both the Han Chinese and the Uyghurs were able to liberate themselves. May our region be next…

TOMORROW: KASHGAR

WE ARE AT THE CROSSROADS OF ECONOMIC BELTS

The length of the Silk Road is 10,575 kilometers, with 1,026 kilometers passing through Xinjiang. This means that this place is the heart of the Silk Road.

The first train from China to Europe departed in 2011. Since then, more than 77,000 trips have been made. One of the most critical points of this immense project is the Urumqi International Land Port. It was one of the places personally inspected by Xi during his last visit. The state has invested 30 billion yuan in the port. They want it to be one of the core points of the Silk Road Economic Belt.

We are welcomed at the port by the Director of the Services Center, Zhong Hehua. Zhong, who mentions that they handle cargo arrivals, loading and unloading, organization, inspection, and shipment operations at the port, says that the port has an annual handling capacity of 600,000 TEUs and 7,000 trips. So far, 1,000 trips have been made, but the port is gradually expanding. The port is of great importance because it connects different economic belts.

The port covers an area of 80 hectares. There are 170 round trips daily. A freight train departing from Xinjiang reaches Italy in two weeks. From steel to olive oil, construction machinery to mechanical parts… Mostly valuable goods are transported.

I asked Mr. Zhong whether the northern railway was operational. He said that trips had decreased after the Russia-Ukraine war, but they haven’t stopped. I also asked if they were considering increasing trips through the Middle Corridor via Turkey. He replied, “If there’s demand, why not?” In the first eight months of this year, 887 trips registered in Urumqi were made. Some of these were loaded onto ships in the Black Sea and taken to Istanbul, then distributed to the world. If Turkey increases its interest in this line, there is a lot of work to be done in Xinjiang…

Xinjiang Museum houses more than 25,000 artifacts. These artifacts show that very different ethnic groups have lived together in the region for thousands of years. On this 2,000-year-old piece of fabric, it says: ‘Five stars rise in the east and bring benefits to China.’

The Chinese government has made a special effort to preserve the Muqam Art, a gift from the Uyghurs to the world. In 2009, a Muqam Art Rescue Team was established in the region. Over three years, the texts of all 12 Muqams were compiled. The masters have been highly respected. Today, artists travel the world performing the 12 Muqams. While we were in Urumqi, they were performing at the opening of the Asian Games. However, we were still able to watch a mini performance at the Art Theater, and it was a great pleasure…

Tian Shan, which we reached after a one-hour journey from Urumqi, has been transformed into a fantastic tourist center. With its hiking trails, lakes, scenery, and pristine air, it attracts tens of thousands of tourists each year. Don’t miss it if you go.

One of our stops was the China Railway Construction Company (CRCC). This is the Urumqi branch of the giant company headquartered in Shanghai. It is the 5th largest factory in China and the 30th in the world in its field. They produce high-speed train lines, drilling machines, agricultural vehicles… One of these machines is a cotton-picking machine. It can do the work of 3,000 people in the field. This means 2-3,000 hectares of cotton per hour. The quality of the cotton is also better. The factory employs 380 people. They sell to Central Asia and have also sold to Italy. Currently, one of these machines is in Izmir.