China HighlightsXinjiang’s Economic Advancement at International Trade Forum

ALTAY, China — China is hosting an international conference in Xinjiang to promote economic development in the northwestern region.

The International Conference for Trans‑Altai Subregional Cooperation, held on Wednesday in Altay, brings together officials from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia and other nations to discuss trade and economic cooperation in the region. Organizers aim to strengthen regional trade and investment links and boost economic growth through improved connectivity.

Conference organizers emphasize the development of high‑speed rail lines and expanded air connectivity to improve connectivity and stimulate growth. Officials noted that enhancing coal, oil, gas, cotton and other sectors is part of a broader strategy to raise living standards.

Participants noted that infrastructure projects are intended to narrow the economic gap between the interior and coastal provinces. In 2020, per‑capita income in rural Xinjiang was 13,052 yuan ($1,927), compared with 31,930 yuan ($4,714) in the affluent province of Zhejiang.

Critics say that past separatist attacks prompted the government to detain more than a million individuals from minority groups, primarily Uyghurs, in facilities described as counter‑terrorism centers. Human‑rights groups allege that these measures constitute forced labor and political re‑education, citing reports of coerced labor and fabricated charges.

Human rights groups report that forced participation in state‑run employment programs is expanding, according to Global Rights Compliance, and is included in China’s latest five‑year economic plan.

The government maintains that its actions are counter‑terrorism measures and denies allegations of targeted repression.

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