Report back from Xinjiang: A first-hand account of innovation and diversity

• Roger McKenzie - Foreign Editor, Morning Star
• Ali Al-Assam - Friends of Socialist China; Director, Mushtarek
• David Peat - Editor, Iskra Books; Secretary, Friends of Socialist China Britain committee
• Chair: Rashida Islam - Friends of Socialist China Britain committee

While much of the global narrative surrounding Xinjiang has focused on accusations of human rights abuses, it’s crucial to ask whether these claims are rooted in fact or driven by geopolitical motives. What does the West truly know about Xinjiang, beyond the allegations?

Rather than accept unverified accusations at face value, it is important to explore the real story: Xinjiang’s tremendous achievements in areas like clean energy, robotics, and transport, which the West could learn from. How has the region embraced such rich cultural and religious diversity, including the celebration of Uyghur traditions and the region’s harmonious multicultural coexistence?

Xinjiang is not only a hub of technological advancement but also plays a pivotal role in China’s Belt and Road Initiative—a global trade and infrastructure project with significant implications for the future of international cooperation. What lessons can be drawn from Xinjiang’s success as the economic and strategic heart of this initiative, especially in cities like Kashgar, a crucial link between East and West?

Join us for an in-person event at Marx Memorial Library, where Roger McKenzie, Ali Al-Assam and David Peat will share their firsthand experiences from their recent visits to Xinjiang. Through their insights, we can explore what the world might learn from Xinjiang’s advancements and how it challenges the prevailing narrative in the West.

This event is organised by Friends of Socialist China and supported by the Morning Star and the International Manifesto Group.

Host or Publisher Friends of Socialist China