Published on: 2026-08-18
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Over the past few years, I have traveled extensively throughout China. I have visited various cities and provinces, getting acquainted with their history, culture, economy, and modern life. However, there is one region I especially want to return to. This is the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. On average, I visit here about twice a year, and each trip offers the opportunity to see new changes and experience this amazing land in a new way.
Fruits hold a special place for me. Xinjiang is known for its vineyards, melons, watermelons, apples, and other agricultural crops. The dry climate and a large number of sunny days create favorable conditions for their cultivation. When you are here, many flavors remind you of Tajikistan and other countries of Central Asia.
At the same time, Xinjiang is rapidly changing. This is especially noticeable when comparing trips made several years apart. Urban infrastructure is developing, new roads, public spaces, hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions are appearing. Transportation accessibility to various districts is improving, opening up new opportunities for both domestic and foreign tourists.
Urumqi today is a modern, dynamically developing city, but it is enough to leave its limits to see a completely different Xinjiang. Mountain ranges, desert landscapes, valleys, lakes, pastures, and vineyards create a unique natural diversity. In this regard, the region has enormous tourist potential.
It is especially interesting that the development of tourism here occurs simultaneously with the preservation of the local cultural identity. For a traveler, Xinjiang is an opportunity not only to see natural attractions but also to get acquainted with the traditions, cuisine, crafts, and way of life of the peoples living here.
Ethnic diversity is one of the most important features of the region. China unites 56 ethnic groups, and Xinjiang is one of the most vivid examples of the country’s diversity. Various cultures, traditions, and trade routes have interacted here for thousands of years. Today, this diversity continues to manifest itself in language, cuisine, architecture, cultural events, and everyday communication among people.
The issue of harmonious coexistence of various ethnic groups has recently received broader legal development in China. On July 1, 2026, the PRC Law “On Promoting National Unity and Progress” came into effect, which establishes strengthening the consciousness of the Chinese nation’s community as one of the key directions of the state’s national policy.
As noted on August 9 in his article published in Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the Ambassador of China to Russia Zhang Hanhui, the new law is based on the principle of strengthening community while respecting and tolerating differences. The article also emphasizes the need to create conditions for the joint living, learning, work, and development of representatives of various ethnic groups, as well as the preservation of traditional culture and intangible cultural heritage.
It seems important to me that this discussion is not only about legislative norms but also about the concrete everyday life of people. When you travel through Xinjiang, you see how various cultural traditions exist side by side and become part of the region’s overall life.
Equally significant changes are taking place in the economy. Xinjiang’s geographical location makes it a natural link between China and Central Asia. The region has historically been at the crossroads of trade routes, and today its importance is growing thanks to the development of transportation infrastructure, logistics, international trade, and cross-border cooperation.
For me, as a resident of Central Asia, it is especially interesting to observe these processes. Xinjiang is becoming an important platform for economic contacts between China and the countries of Central Asia. The development of transport corridors, trade, and logistics contributes not only to the growth of the region’s economy but also to expanding opportunities for business and humanitarian cooperation between neighboring countries.
Economic changes directly affect the lives of the population. The development of infrastructure, industry, agriculture, trade, and services creates new jobs and promotes the growth of cities and settlements. At the same time, particular importance is attached to the development of border areas, which gain additional opportunities due to the expansion of trade and economic ties.
Zhang Hanhua’s article also notes that China consistently implements measures to develop border regions and improve the well-being of the population, paying attention to education, healthcare, and other social areas. Special emphasis is placed on creating conditions for the equal participation of representatives of various ethnic groups in social and economic life.
For me, Xinjiang is interesting precisely because of the combination of several factors. On the one hand, it is a modern region of China that is actively developing and changing. On the other hand, deep cultural traditions and a special atmosphere are preserved here, which cannot be artificially recreated.
That is precisely why I keep coming back here again and again. Each visit allows me to see something new, while simultaneously preserving the feeling of a familiar space. Traveling offers the opportunity to better understand not only other countries but also oneself.
In recent years, Xinjiang has changed significantly, and I am confident that this process will continue. The development of tourism, infrastructure, the economy, and interregional ties opens up new prospects for it.
Author: Anushervon Rasulov
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.