Turkish journalist Erdal Emre shared his impressions about a recent media tour of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwestern China. “Our #Xinjiang trip with journalist friends from 8 media outlets has concluded. It was a trip where we learned a lot. We will be writing about our impressions. We extend our sincere thanks to our Chinese colleagues for their hospitality,” Emre wrote on the social media platform X on Wednesday. Emre was part of a group of 11 Turkish journalists who participated in the “Media Trip in Xinjiang: Always More to Discover,” a nine-day event co-sponsored by Guangming Online and the Xinjiang Cyberspace Affairs Commission. The tour covered Urumqi, Ili, Aksu and Kashgar, cities in the north and south of Xinjiang, with the journalists closely monitored by Chinese authorities.
Key Points:
- The media tour was co-sponsored by state-controlled Guangming Online and the Xinjiang Cyberspace Affairs Commission, which oversees internet censorship in the region.
- Several Turkish journalists expressed surprise at the difference between their observations and Western media reports about alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
- Experts view the tour as part of China’s strategy to influence Turkish public opinion, particularly targeting nationalist and conservative groups traditionally supportive of Uyghur rights.
- Critics note this effort aligns with Xi Jinping’s 2022 directive to enhance external propaganda and coincides with growing economic ties between Turkey and China.
Disclaimer: This post was generated using AI, with added context where possible. Please verify all information before using. Images are also AI-generated and are for illustrative purposes only—they are meant to represent the events or individuals concerned but should not be understood as “real-world” photography.
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