BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The white paper on Xinjiang that was just released by the Chinese government helps the world learn more about the Chinese autonomous region while beating misinterpretations and distortions with hard facts, overseas experts have said.
The white paper titled "Historical Matters Concerning Xinjiang," which was issued on Sunday, makes it clear that the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwestern China has long been an inseparable part of the Chinese territory, and never "East Turkistan," and that multiple religions have long co-existed there with Islam being neither an indigenous nor the sole belief system of the Uygurs.
Sonia Bressler, a French writer and sinologist, said the document elaborates on Xinjiang's history and reality, exposing the truth there and inspiring especially the Westerners misled by preconceptions.
Bressler, who has traveled around Xinjiang, said China has 56 ethnic groups, and Xinjiang is an example of ethnic harmony.
Khalid Abdul Azizi al-Binali, chief of the Research and Studies Department of Qatar News Agency, said the white paper clarifies both the historical inheritance and cultural tradition of Xinjiang, and enables a correct and in-depth understanding by people.
According to Nabil Al Sharabi, a researcher with the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, the document, with detailed facts of Xinjiang, refutes the ill-intended accusations against China as groundless.
Abdulaziz Alshaabani, a Saudi expert on Chinese affairs, said the white paper gives a complete and detailed account of Xinjiang's history and development, and refutes the smear of Xinjiang by some countries and media.
He said China's efforts to promote economic development and maintain social stability in Xinjiang based on its own conditions should be respected and understood by the international community.
These measures have effectively curbed the emergence and spread of extremism and terrorism, and enabled Xinjiang to achieve stable and sound social and economic development, Alshaabani added.
Harinda Vidanage, director of the Bandaranaike Center for International Studies in Sri Lanka, said the white paper corrects the misrepresentation of some Western media reports on Xinjiang in recent years.
China is proving to the world that openness and inclusiveness are effective ways to achieve ethnic stability, prosperity and development, Vidanage added.
Jayanath Colombage, a researcher at the Pathfinder Foundation, a think tank in Sri Lanka, said the white paper made it clear that hostile forces outside China had been trying to destabilize China's Xinjiang.
Sri Lanka, facing similar problems, should learn from China's efforts and determination to maintain religious stability and ethnic solidarity, Colombage added.
Nasser Abdel-Aal, a professor and China expert at Ain Shams University in Cairo who has visited Xinjiang, said Xinjiang was formally included in Chinese territory in the Han Dynasty, which was confirmed by the historical sites he visited in Xinjiang.
He said the Chinese government has never neglected the culture and language of the Uygur ethnic group.
(Xinhua reporters Xu Yongchun in Paris, Yang Yuanyong in Doha, Tu Yifan in Riyadh, Zhu Ruiqing and Tang Lu in Colombo as well as Wu Danni in Cairo also contributed to the story.)