China Hosts Trade Conference in Xinjiang, Promoting Economic Development in Region With History of Mass Detentions
China is hosting an international trade conference in Xinjiang's Altay city, with officials from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia and other nations discussing economic cooperation and development projects. The northwestern region has been the site of mass detentions of ethnic minorities, particularly Uyghurs, beginning in 2017, which China characterized as counterterrorism measures. The conference highlights China's effort to promote Xinjiang's economic development while the region remains under international scrutiny regarding human rights concerns.
China is hosting the International Conference for Trans-Altai Subregional Cooperation in Altay, Xinjiang, bringing together officials from neighboring countries to discuss trade and economic cooperation in the landlocked region. Chinese officials are promoting development plans for coal, oil and gas, cotton industries, and major infrastructure projects including railways and flights. The conference occurs against the backdrop of Xinjiang's documented history: beginning in 2017, China detained over a million people from ethnic minority groups, primarily Uyghurs, which the government justified as counterterrorism efforts. While China claims most detention centers closed by 2021, leaked information shows thousands of Uyghurs remain imprisoned on charges experts say were fabricated or exaggerated. Human rights groups report forced participation in government job programs continues, particularly in southern Xinjiang's Uyghur-populated areas, as part of China's latest five-year economic plan.
What different sources said
- ABC News InternationalCenter
China touts Xinjiang at trade forum, spotlighting a region once marked by detention centers
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