Spotlight: Kazakhs applaud rapid development of China's Xinjiang

In the eyes of Kazakh people, China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region that adjoins Kazakhstan has enjoyed a rapid social development.

According to Ulan, a university professor, taken into consideration of the natural environment and lower commodity and housing prices, people's living condition in many cities in Xinjiang is even better than metropolises like Beijing and Shanghai.

The well-established material supply system in Xinjiang involves highways, railroads and airlines, which improved the lives of the people residing in Xinjiang, Ulan told Xinhua.

"People can buy whatever they want now, even if they live in small towns," Ulan said as he used to live in Shihezi city in northern Xinjiang.

He added that Xinjiang has entered the fast lane of social development with the step-by-step implementation of the Silk Road Economic Belt and China's development strategies of western regions.

Magina, who has studied in Xinjiang Normal University, also praised the rapid development and the friendly environment among various ethnic groups of Han, Uygur, Kirgiz, Kazak, Uzbek, among others.

"Life there changed with each passing day," she said while recalling her days in Xinjiang.

"The Chinese government invested huge amount of money and human resources into the development of Xinjiang," she explained.

Magina was also impressed by the friendly and harmonious interaction among different ethnic groups in the region. "I always tell my personal experience to many people who have biases toward Xinjiang and China."

Kuleshov Vladimir, professor at the Almaty Management University, shared the same feelings with Magina, saying that every ethnic language, culture and custom are respected and protected in the autonomous region.

According to Kuleshov, who has been to various cities in Xinjiang for seminars and researches, the region is living up to the aspiration of the Chinese Dream championed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to official data released by Xinjiang's Statistic Bureau, the region has maintained a double-digit GDP growth rate since 2010.

With an average annual GDP increase of hundreds of billions U.S. dollars, Xinjiang's average annual growth rate reached 11.1 percent, which represented the most rapid economic growth and the best time of Xinjiang's economic development since China adopted the reform and opening up policy.

It is wise for the Chinese government to enact economic policies suitable for local conditions, Kuleshov stressed, adding that the pragmatic measures led to modern industrialization and created lots of jobs for local people, which promoted the living standard.

"The growth rate of Xinjiang is comparable to, or even faster than, some coastal regions in China," Kuleshov said, adding that the rate has also exceeded many other countries in the world.

He believed that Xinjiang would take the opportunities brought by the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative and play a pivotal role in the common development of China and Central Asian countries. Endi