“Xinjiang” Leads in Production and Sowing, Propagates Chinese Media Headlines
By Uyghur Erk, December 17, 2023
Xinjiang Daily, the major propaganda outlet of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), where the Uyghurs refer to ET or Uyghurstan, reported that according to the statistics confirmed by the National Bureau of Statistics, the total grain production in “Xinjiang” in 2023 reached 42.384 billion catties, an increase of 6.113 billion catties compared to the previous year, representing a growth of 16.9%. Xinjiang’s total grain production increase ranks first nationwide. The sown area was 423.715 million mu, an increase of 58.635 million mu compared to the previous year, with a growth rate of 16.1%. Xinjiang’s sown area increased, ranking first nationwide.
Given the lack of credibility in Chinese media concerning numbers and sources on critical issues, the reported statistics may not present the full picture, considering the challenges in obtaining accurate and unbiased information from “Xinjiang.” The media’s emphasis on agricultural achievements might be an attempt to divert attention from more pressing concerns, including reported human rights abuses and the lack of transparency in the region.
The Chinese media stated, “The grain production in the entire Xinjiang region is showing a favorable trend of ‘three increases’ in terms of area, yield per unit, and total output. Specifically, the yield per unit of grain area is 500.14 kilograms per mu, an increase of 3.41 kilograms per mu compared to the previous year.”
The arrival of Han Chinese migrants in the Uyghur homeland has consequences for the expansion of agricultural land. According to reports, when local and native Uyghurs are detained in prisons and camps, their land is seized by the Chinese government, and migrant workers supported by the government take control. Subsequently, many Uyghurs, who have had their land confiscated, are compelled to work for minimal wages under the ownership of their new “landowners,” the Han Chinese migrants.
