On October 13, a media briefing was held in Beijing for the television documentary titled “Belt and Road Initiative and Xinjiang”, organized by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. During the event, it was announced that the documentary will air from October 14 to 17 on CCTV’s Chinese International Channel and CGTN’s Arabic Channel, with subsequent releases planned for CGTN’s English, French, Spanish, and Russian channels.
The documentary is composed of four episodes, each lasting 30 minutes, and focuses on four main themes: “International Corridors”, “Integrated Development”, “Cooperative Win-Win”, and “Shared Prosperity”. It showcases Xinjiang’s strategic position within the Belt and Road Initiative, highlighting its economic growth, international cooperation, and cultural exchange, thereby emphasizing Xinjiang’s pivotal role in global collaboration.
Xu Guixiang, the Party Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Office, shared insights into Xinjiang’s openness to the outside world, the background of the documentary’s creation, and its primary content. “Through a series of vivid and concrete cases, the documentary paints a picture of a prosperous, stable, and open Xinjiang,” Xu stated. He expressed hope that it would promote a better understanding of Xinjiang’s core significance in the Belt and Road Initiative, encouraging more people to visit Xinjiang and engage with its culture and opportunities for cooperation.
Jia Peng, Deputy Director of the CGTN Middle East Bureau and Director of the Arabic Channel, highlighted that their reporters visited Xinjiang four times during the production process to capture authentic stories showcasing Xinjiang’s role as a key area of the Belt and Road Initiative and as a gateway for China’s western opening up. “This is a bold attempt to tell China’s story to the world,” Jia remarked.
Hu Kaimin, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of the Foreign Languages Publishing and Distribution Administration of China, discussed the publication of a book that complements the documentary. He mentioned that a version of the book is being edited based on the documentary’s content and will be available in four languages: Chinese, English, Russian, and Arabic.
“The combination of the documentary and the book will mutually enhance their impact and longevity,” Hu noted, emphasizing the significance of this initiative in enriching the narrative around the Belt and Road and showcasing Xinjiang’s path of open development. He expressed anticipation for multiple formats that would allow audiences to deeply experience the new dynamism of Xinjiang in the modern era.
