URUMQI: China released its first white paper specifically on the population dynamics of its Xinjiang region and by citing data from the seven national censuses, the white paper showed that the population of ethnic minorities in the region has grown fast in both size and quality, with the Uygur population having increased from 3.61 million in 1953 to 11.62 million in 2020, refuting the West’s “genocide” accusation with undeniable facts.
Titled “Xinjiang Population Dynamics and Data,” it is the first white paper released by the State Council Information Office since 2015 that specifically displays demographic development in Xinjiang for the past seven decades. It is also the 10th white paper released by the office on Xinjiang – previous ones covered human rights achievements, vocational training and education centers, employment and anti-terrorism measures.
The white paper contains six parts – population growth in Xinjiang, the latest demographics of the region, demographic changes in the Uygur population, factors contributing to Xinjiang’s demographic development, the prospects of the regional population, and falsehoods fabricated by anti-China forces.
The white paper was released against the backdrop of anti-China forces’ hyping Xinjiang topics in recent years in an attempt to nail China for the crime of “genocide”. The white paper uses solid data and scientific demographic analysis to refute their claims, Li Jianxin, a demographer from Peking University who participated in the drafting of the white paper, told the Global Times.
Data from the white paper showed that the population of Xinjiang, particularly that of its ethnic minorities, has grown fast in both size and quality, and life expectancy has seen a substantial increase. According to preliminary data from the seventh national census in 2020, the total population of Xinjiang was 25.85 million, among which the Han ethnic group numbered 10.92 million, and ethnic minorities 14.93 million.
– The Daily Mail-Global Times News exchange item
