🇨🇳 Will you FIND OUT THE TRUTH in the Heartland of Muslim China? 🇨🇳 | Kashgar, Xinjiang

[@WanderingBluePassports]

我们非常享受在喀什的时光。不过，根据我们上一个视频的评论部分，我们提醒您，那些明显在观看之前就对我们评头论足的评论将被删除。很明显，很多人在评论之前并没有完整地观看视频，也没有注意评论。在对我们关于喀什的观点发表愚蠢评论之前，请先完整观看视频。///. We enjoyed our time in Kashgar. However, based on our last video's comment section, we warn you that comments that obviously judge us before watching will be removed. It is obvious that many people did not fully watch the video or pay attention before commenting. Please watch the video in full before making foolish comments assuming our perspectives on Kashgar.

[@julioduan7130]

I finished watching the whole video and only found out that even though you are restricting yourself from saying some topics directly, you are still implying that even though you didn’t see any evidence related to the western accusations, you still don’t exclude the possibility that something wrong is happening or have happened. For me, it’s just like seeing that right after I saw someone on the street, I may conclude that he may have raped, robbed or murdered someone even though I didn’t see anything have happened.

[@mryeung7360]

@@julioduan7130 They grew up watching the western media, some of them become paranoid once they reach middle age, don't expect them to come in once or twice and change their minds.

[@ronvara2929]

Uighur in Xinjiang is a very complicated topic, simply saying the west is lying or China is hiding stuff are not going to reveal any truth. But it is obvious way beyond the capabilities of you guys as travel youtubers. so just leave it at skin deep and move on.

[@Liminghwa]

What Western media often avoids highlighting is the root cause of the tight control in Xinjiang: a series of violent terrorist incidents. These include the 2009 Urumqi riots, where nearly 200 people were killed, the 2014 Kunming train station attack that claimed 31 lives, and deadly car bombings in Urumqi that same year. Such events forced China to implement strict measures to counter extremism and prevent further violence. China’s approach included re-education programs aimed at helping Uyghurs overcome cultural and language barriers, reducing their susceptibility to extremist propaganda. These programs also focused on poverty alleviation through skills training to improve employment opportunities, addressing a key factor that drives extremism. In contrast, the U.S. tackled terrorism post-9/11 through wars that caused far-reaching devastation (data from Brown University): • Over 4.5 million total deaths, including 387,000 civilians. • 38 million displaced people. • $8 trillion in costs. Considering these outcomes, which approach better values human rights: one centered on re-education and addressing poverty, or one resulting in millions of deaths and widespread displacement?

[@maradon385]

Before I visited Xinjiang in 2016 and 2018 I was fed with information from the press that the Uyghur language and culture was banned besides the usual camps and genocide narrative. What surprised me was that not only was the Uyghur language widely used and spoken in the streets ( road signs and signboards too), there were many Uyghur TV channels, Uyghur announcements in airports and train stations. I filmed some Uyghurs dancing to the local music and shared my observation on one group Facebook page which was followed globally. What followed was a barrage of resentment asking me to remove them with some claiming that those dancing were not Uyghurs! After many scathing attacks on my photos which they thought were apparently not in line with what was widely propagated at that time, the FB administrator finally removed them! It clearly showed the power of the western press in casting prople’s perception and enforcing it at all costs! I returned convinced never again to trust what I read and to take it with a pinch of salt whatever that is now reported. To me lies and fabrication only serve the agendas of the owner without due regard to principles and integrity no matter how damaging it may cause which I feel is most irresponsible.

[@futo]

but that's how it is in the western (correction, developed countries like Japan) are like this, information are bias, and citizens believe whole heartedly....I'm in Canada, and I've spoken to people who basically talk about China as if they know everything, and heaven forbid if I tell them otherwise, they get defensive....honestly, I'm grown really tired of this since Biden adminstration

[@firefly4784]

Yeah, remember how they convinced people that Iraq has WMD and invaded an independent country, and Libya was destroyed like that too. Can’t understand why people still believe in these Main Street media after all these

[@firefly4784]

I know, it is crazy! If you search for the word Uyghur in Mariam Webster online dictionary. All the example sentences claimed to be pulled from the web and displayed on m w are narratives about how Uyghurs are persecuted and oppressed.

[@Liminghwa]

Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell, revealed during a 2018 speech at the Ron Paul Institute that one of the key objectives of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan was to destabilize China’s Xinjiang region. He outlined three main goals: “to contain the Chinese by having the ability to disrupt the Belt and Road Initiative in Xinjiang, to ensure the security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, and to counter Russian influence in Central Asia.” His admission exposes how Xinjiang was deliberately targeted in the U.S.’s broader geopolitical strategy, shedding light on the narratives surrounding the region.

[@123-h5i5y]

You are in Xinjiang in this video. You see for yourself the locals are speaking the Uyghur language, the public signage are not just in Chinese but in Uyghur or Arabic language and very likely you may have seen or visited the mosques in the region. These are exactly some of the vibes that the western media has negatively portrayed the situation in Xinjiang. So how do you conclude by saying as a westerner, you are more inclined to believe what your western media is reporting? Surely, you can make a reasonable judgement instead of sitting on the fence playing it safe and throwing mud on other western youtubers who have been there. If there is genocide or persecution of the ethnic Uyghurs, would China be that stupid to open up the region for westerners to visit and try to find the smoking gun? Why didn't Israel open up Gaza for tourism too because after all it denied there was genocide just the same?

[@pandabearoceanpark]

The sign of "National security is everybody's responsibility" at the park is understandable if you knew about the horrific terrorist attacks China has suffered for more than a decade in the early 2000s with the terrorists wanting to separate and establish East Turkistan. Due to the terrorist attacks from Xinjiang, all of Chinese railway stations implemented security check points as of that time. The park is a way of the Chinese government to educate the locals and keep peace in this region without doing what the Israelis are currently doing to the Palestinians in response to the recent terrorist attack. Please don't interpret what you see in Xinjiang with your US-media tinted color glasses and say that you are glad you don't have such a park in the US. It's not a sign of suppression as you have hinted. Do you really think the US cares about the Uyghurs? And did you ask yourselves why the Muslim world didn't have an uprising due to the accusation of Xinjiang? China has 56 minorities and all of them keep their cultures as sources of tourism and co-exist with Hans peacefully barring the separatists from Xinjiang. Besides, you have the 911 Memorial park and I am sure the US government would encourage reporting - if you see something, say something - that's a US government saying to the masses. Nothing wrong with that. Instead, you have witnessed that the old town is preserved as a way for the local to drum up tourism and the Chinese government has invested ton of money to improve the area without destroying its culture. All the Chinese want is peace, stability and development. All the US wants of China is chaos and containment and downfall of the Chinese economy and government.

[@maradon385]

Your views on maintaining peace in China is spot on considering the bad terrorist attacks which made the province unsafe previously. China is trying its best to ensure peace for its citizens through a series of efforts and measures including education and upgrading the lives of the poor ( one of the root causes of terrorism). This is something many of the troubled nations could learn from rather than resorting to fighting violence with violence which was the cause of many endless conflicts globally such as what is happening in Gaza now. Credit needs to be given when the much needed peace (which the world badly needs) is finally achieved. To pour scorn and smirk at another country’s internal measures ( which may suit that particular country) smacks of arrogance and low understanding of how the nation suffered during the turmoil. We should empathize and not belittle their noble efforts for the sake of peace.

[@julioduan7130]

12:01 Be civilized signs are everywhere in China. It’s not a Kashgar or Xinjiang-only issue. The government is educating people not to do improper behaviors, like throwing trash, spitting, wash their hands after using the toilet, etc, which is something every country will tell their citizens not to do.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Thank you for the context! 🙏

[@yezih2694]

There are western youtuber cycled through Xinjiang, and there are western youtuber traveled around Xinjiang by their camp van, and recently there is a English lad hitchhiked through Xinjiang, they all documented their travel and post on youtube, nobody is stoping you to go and travel outside citys into the countryside to further seek the truth color of Xinjiang. You can talk to the locals in the countryside far away from a CCTV camera, you can even stay in locals home, if you cant find a camp place. Locals in Xinjiang and TIbet and other minority provinces are very friendly and always will to help.

[@firefly4784]

Did we watch the same British backpacker videos? What amazed me is that whenever he was stopped by the local police, he either got a free lift or free food from the police。

[@lunhui911]

At about 7 minutes and 30 seconds of the video, you say that you won't get the truth when you come to Xinjiang, because people here still live in China, so they won't tell you the truth, so you can't find the truth. But you still tend to believe the Western version. So I ask if you have ever really talked to local Uyghur people? Have you seen Uyghur people singing and dancing on the streets of Xinjiang (whether it is a living area or a tourist area only)? Have you seen elementary school students who can speak not only Uyghur but also Chinese? Have you seen Uyghur language on the streets and road signs in Xinjiang? I believe you and I both know that the above questions are yes answers. So why do you still believe and lead others to believe the Western propaganda against China? The Western media's propaganda of genocide, saying that ethnic minorities are locked up in mysterious buildings, and that the Chinese have abolished the Muslim language. Are these outright lies still worth believing? Do you still believe these lies when you have seen the opposite evidence with your own eyes?

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Thanks for making a well put together comment and seemingly, honestly engaging in conversation about it. Because of that, I am happy to expand and elaborate on my perspective. The entire point I was making in my explanation was that, as a tourist walking around old town Kashgar, none of my experiences would reveal the existence or non-existence of camps, or reveal how it truly is to live in the region. No visitor to Ottawa, Canada during the period of time of the horrific Indigenous residential schools in Canada came away knowing about them or how indigenous persons were being treated in Canada because they visited parliament and ate at a nice restaurant in the tourist core. Visiting Vancouver now, won't show a tourist that many first nations communities lack clean drinking water and basic access to healthcare and education. You are correct, as I also stated in the video, that I lean into what "Western Media" is telling me and to be honest, it's because I am seeing information from many many more people on the free global internet which is very very different than the information controlled/restricted Chinese internet. I can see what information is being limited to me by just using bing.com in China and selecting "show restricted results". I am less inclined to believe information from the one being accused and more likely to believe information distributed by third parties. If the US government promises it isn't torturing prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, I am not going to believe them because they have an inherent interest in saying they aren't. Just as they said they weren't and then it came out they did. The entirety of my argument boils down to calling out the other KZbinrs who talk to a nice man at a shop, walk around the old town, and eat some delicious lamb skewers and then claim that they are the authority and have the truth about Uyghur culture and freedoms as an ethnic group in China. No government that did something wrong, did it on a stage, in the middle of tourist town, handing out pamphlets about it, while broadcasting it live on TV. Being a tourist doesn't give you access to the truth. And people shouldn't be claiming it does. If someone wants to come to China, they should and enjoy it or not and then go home and share what they experienced, not pretend to be some expert.

[@lunhui911]

@@WanderingBluePassports You still haven't answered my question. If you and I both want to discover the truth below the surface and don't have the ability to dive, then we should look at the surface of things, because through surface phenomena we can see the essence. Then answer my question, let other viewers see what the surface is like, and they will make their own judgment. Have you seen Uyghur people singing and dancing on the streets of Xinjiang, whether in residential areas or tourist-only areas? Have you seen elementary school students who can speak not only Uyghur but also Chinese? Have you seen the Uyghur language on the streets and road signs of Xinjiang? Are the answers to these questions consistent with Western media reports? The area of Xinjiang Province is one-sixth of the entire area of China. China should not turn the entire Xinjiang into a "studio" for foreign people to show.

[@爱就一个字]

@@WanderingBluePassports 我劝你少看bbc H&M抵制新疆棉 为什么他的店还在乌鲁木齐开着 不觉得讽刺 google不在中国 不是中国的问题 是他不愿意把服务器 放在中国 自己走的 没什么

[@WanderingBluePassports]

I disagree. We shouldn't "look at the surface" to find out the truth. That's the worst way to find the truth. You don't drop an apple and then assume it falls because the evidence in front of you suggests that apples love being close to the ground. You rely on people who dive unfathomably deep into the information and reveal that gravity exists and how it works. Looking without context at the surface of almost anywhere doesn't tell you anything. There is a wildly famous phrase about "you can't judge a book by its cover" that is supposed to warn you against doing exactly that. Yes, I saw dance performances, children speaking both languages, and signs in both languages, smiling faces and laughing people. I also saw lots of local foods. But that also doesn't contradict the claims I have seen reported. All the claims I have seen reported are much more publicly subtle and privately insidious... I can't think of any claim I have seen that says that the government or something is getting rid of that stuff. You seem to also think that I am implying it is, I am simply saying that being a tourist doesn't make someone an authority.... And to be honest, we really really really like visiting China, we think there is lots of fantastic things and we want to continue to be able to visit and not run foul of the authorities... So we are not saying anything is happening. Only that KZbinrs who say they know the truth because they visited are liars for clicks...

[@liesterminator2]

​@@lunhui911 let them be... It's not easy to become UNbrainwashed overnight after being a sheep for so long and they don't know the background and history of China From : Malaysia 🇲🇾

[@ctourmaline]

You certainly can't fully understand a region's overall situation just by traveling there for a day or two. However, there are many things you can deduce through personal experience and logical reasoning. For example, while you can't definitively prove the existence or non-existence of camps in Xinjiang by visiting a few places, you can logically infer that it’s impossible for millions of people-equivalent to 1/10 to 1/5 of the Uyghur population-to be detained in camps. This would mean nearly every Uyghur would have a relative or acquaintance in a camp. If that were true, it’s implausible that local Uyghurs would remain so calm, joyful, and friendly toward Han Chinese tourists. Similarly, if genocide were truly occurring, are we to believe that all the Uyghurs living and working in the region are actors? And wouldn’t there be a massive influx of refugees fleeing across borders? Is that what we’re seeing? Additionally, you might argue that people are afraid to speak the truth, and that’s valid. However, whether massive people live in fear, oppression, or despair doesn’t always need to be spoken aloud-you can sense it. Have you felt anything to that effect? Using the example of how people in Canada were unaware of the atrocities in Indigenous residential schools is highly inappropriate. Others have also argued with me that when Germany ran large-scale concentration camps for Jews, local civilians were unaware, suggesting that Xinjiang could be a similar case. But there’s a critical difference: the Indigenous residential schools in Canada were situated in areas where white people were the overwhelming majority. Similarly, Jews in Germany were a minority group. However, in Xinjiang, Uyghurs are not a minority, particularly in southern Xinjiang-like Kashgar, where you visited-where Uyghurs are the majority population. If the government were running genocide or mass-scale camps targeting the majority ethnic group, do you think the locals would be unaware? Would they remain indifferent? Now, let’s address Western's claims about Xinjiang: 1. Millions in Concentration Camps: There may be involuntary re-education institutions aimed at counterterrorism and anti-separatism, but as I mentioned earlier, they couldn’t possibly operate on such a large scale. 2. Genocide: This claim is blatantly false. 3. Cultural Genocide: Uyghur culture is a major highlight of local tourism. Where exactly is the cultural extinction? Teaching them Chinese-is that what constitutes cultural genocide? 4. Forced Labor: To date, there’s no concrete evidence to support this. Even Western companies with factories in the region have stated that their supply chains show no signs of forced labor. Are we supposed to accept accusations from the U.S. government without evidence? Regarding cotton, most Xinjiang cotton farms are owned by Uyghurs themselves. The majority of cotton is harvested by machines, and the small portion that requires manual labor is largely carried out by Han Chinese migrant workers from nearby provinces. 5. People outside are forbidden to come: that is a lie which you already proved yourself. In summary, when it comes to Xinjiang, Western narratives are certainly less reliable than Chinese government narratives.

[@ctourmaline]

There’s another point that people who haven’t lived in mainland China might not be aware of. In China, the official narrative regarding ethnic minorities has always emphasized harmony, coexistence, unity, and inclusion-even requesting the majority Han ethnic group to make certain concessions. This includes Xinjiang and the Uyghurs, who in recent years have been featured positively in media, highlighting Uyghur culture and traditions. Many Han Chinese have a deep fondness for Uyghurs and like to visit Xinjiang. China also has several Uyghur celebrities who are widely loved by the public. Think about it: if a government intended to oppress an ethnic group, why would it promote them positively? Why would it encourage other ethnic groups to appreciate them? In contrast, Nazi Germany portrayed Jews as cunning and accused them of exploiting Germany’s wealth, while Indigenous people in the eyes of many white settlers were seen as backward and barbaric, needing to be “civilized” by Western education. The situation in China is entirely different. This is another indication that China does not intend to oppress the Uyghurs.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

You have the wrong understanding of Canadian Residential Schools, people did know... That's part of why it's such an embarrassing part of our history. Many people thought they were good things. The last residential school only closed down in the 90's. The frickin 90s

[@karmarleekl]

@@WanderingBluePassports Until the 90's, Canadians didn't understand what genocide was. Now that they understand, Canadians have begun to accuse China of genocide and support genocide in the Middle East. What kind of civilization is this?

[@firefly4784]

My American coworkers also used the Nazi camp case to argue there could be genocide happening without people’s notice…. I said there was no anti semitism kind of thing in China and the national idol is a Uyghur actress. And why would the Chinese gov suddenly want to genocide and oppress a minority out of all? For religious reasons? Uyghurs observe Muslim holidays and a lot of them are not even Muslims. The biggest Muslim ethnicity is Hui people, not Uyghurs. What could the Chinese gov benefit from treating a minority so badly? As if the Chinese gov had nothing better to do but killing people for fun and creating troubles and hatred for themselves….

[@firefly4784]

And cotton farmers don’t want to make profits, so instead of modern machinery, they want to use inefficient forced labor😅

[@loirecheung4440]

Other than Uyghur snd Han, there are some 16 minor tribes Chinese living together harmoniously in Xinjiang.

[@saibinlin4407]

I suggest you live in Xinjiang for a year, and maybe you will be disappointed with the "truth" you are curious about. There are many things you can't find when you visit Kashgar. For example, the US accused China of forcing the Uyghur people to pick cotton. Now all cotton planting in Xinjiang is done by machines, which has also caused some people to lose their jobs. In addition, the U.S accused China of "genocide" against the Uyghurs. In fact, the Uyghur population was 7.2 million in 1990, and now it is 12 million. We welcome all foreign friends to visit Xinjiang. The purpose is not to decorate ourselves with Xinjiang's false prosperity, but to strive to create a good cultural experience for tourists. China is not perfect, every country has problems, and we are very humble to hear different opinions to reflect on our own shortcomings.

[@fziyi]

再同意不過了！我9月去了，超美超好玩，過去的悲劇是宗教激進造成的，隨著教育的普及，族群相互認同與理解。這趟旅程一路可見一句標語我很認同，‘’各個族群要像石榴子一樣緊緊抱在一起‘’中國56個民族，要彌平歧見一路走來真的不容易！

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and the additional information.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

I saw and translated a sign with that message! It is also in other regions we have visited. 😎

[@fziyi]

你提到新疆採棉這件事我很有感，幾年前我追的一個內地博主去新疆跟著內地各省來採棉增加收入的民工，他們根本都不是維吾爾族，結果被西方一制裁，立刻讓他們失業沒工作

[@fziyi]

這些年隨著短視頻盛行，中國各地少數民族吸引各國仿效，當看到印地安人的視頻我都驚呆了，他們還存在啊？澳洲毛利人也是，所以說西方人應該回去關心比如想獨立的夏威夷、德州、愛爾蘭⋯⋯等等他們需要關心的事。美國這個軍火國在全世界拱火製造矛盾，死在他們製造糾紛下的人還少嗎？最後我想說，美國不是熱心，目的只有一個：天然資源，看看他們在世界各國發起‘’顏色格命‘’後的結果，數不勝數

[@firefly4784]

Haha, China is much more diverse than you thought, with 56 ethnicities of different distinct cultures and costumes . If you travel in China long enough, you will see this kind of travel photographing everywhere in popular touristy places. In minority regions, such as Xinjiang, Tibet, Yunnan, Hunan, travellers dress in local minority clothes and take photos. In cities such as Xi'an, Hangzhou, Suzhou, travellers dress in traditional Han Chinese dresses and pose for photos... It is a huge industry. It is also a way to promote the local culture, whatever it is... at least, after seeing so many photos, people are familiar with what ethnic clothes look like for all those minorities, so when you see those hijab wearing East Turkistan oversea Uyghur radicals on western main stream media accusing of Chinese gov eradicating Uyghur culture, you would know that those Taliban like people don't represent Uyghur culture and are the ones who want to eradicate a culture full of colors, music and dancing, good wine. And if you travel in traditonal regions of Han Chinese in eastern part of China nowadays, you can see people dressing and dancing in Uyghur and Tibetan dresses and music in a lot of public parks and plazas. Was not like that 20 years ago, telling you how minority cultures are gaining popularity in China. It is understandable that you are sensitive to people dressing in other ethnicities clothes if you don't get to see such phenomena in your country.

[@gabic7962]

No ethnic minority in China will feel offended by other ethnic groups wearing their costumes. Maybe this is a problem in your country? I'm also an ethnic minority （Bai）btw

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Yeah, many feel like others wearing their special or ceremonial outfits like a costume diminishes the meaning and identity of the clothing. So it's very strange but I am glad to hear nobody has any issues with it. 👍😀

[@penangrubbish7450]

@@WanderingBluePassports You are one of the "many" who feel that way because of your Western upbringing.

[@handaxia1251]

@@WanderingBluePassports isn't this called cultural appropriation? The Chinese idea of culture is to share it with other people, not so much about identity as you said, more like "this is my idea of doing things, e.g. clothing, please try it, you may like it" kind of thing. This is why people should do travelling, so your perception of things will change and start seeing things from a different perspective. Ever heard the world is not revolved around you?

[@MrXerph]

因为他们是真的迫害过印第安人

[@firefly4784]

@@WanderingBluePassports It is not their special and ceremony clothes, probably in modern days, yes. But some decades ago, it is their traditional clothes.

[@jenniferzhang864]

It’s obvious that when a country is slandered so badly, its citizens were funded by the other countries trying to breakup the country, nationally security is important.

[@ybeuhie]

I am Chinese. First of all, welcome to my country. The people here are very friendly. We have a long history. These histories, like rivers, continue to deposit the sand and gravel of civilization. They educate us that we need to be warm and friendly to our guests. I believe in you. I feel it too, and I hope this trip to China can clear up many misunderstandings. China doesn’t need perfection, but it needs the truth. I hope you have fun and have a safe journey.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Thank you!

[@crazy791326]

If genocide, massive human right abuses, religous or racial presecution are occuring in a region, there is no way you cannot find any traces of it. Even if locals are all afraid to tell the truth as you imply in your video , you can still tell from their eye contacts, their gestures, their behaviors and from the vibes , the atmosphere. This is basic logic and common sense. You can seal people's mouth, but you cannot completely seal their feeling of horror , despair and depression.

[@danteliu4347]

welcome back, long time since the video about Huashan

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Thanks! It's good to be back, we love coming here 😁

[@davepsk7334]

The original Uighur homes are made of straw and clay, it is susceptible to the natures elements like rain or earthquakes. That is the reason why these homes are being slowly abandoned for new concrete homes as they become more and more well to do. Even their tombs were just made of clay which washes away, so they had them moved to concrete structures.

[@FreddieWu]

19:56 That's the banner for Natoinal Security Education Day on 15 April every year, which was created to raise awareness of national security topics. The phone number 12339 is the hotline for reporting national security-related issues, where this banner is part of the awareness campaign. Such is not so much different from what you often see in western cities, e.g. "Call 999 if you see something wrong".

[@isaacsun7463]

也许你们是被国外那些宣传给吓坏了，我看你们整个旅途中经常性喜欢东张西望，一副很紧张的样子，但是最终也很诚实的说了，喀什的旅行很方便自由。我希望你们继续下一段旅行的时候放下你们脑海里那些乱七八糟的东西，享受旅行就好了，这不是西欧的街头，也不是布鲁克林，你们会很安全很享受。至于你觉得很奇怪的国家安全在公共设施的宣传，我想这就是社会主义的意义，在西方社会你看不到这些由政府层面推动的社会道德公益宣传，但是在中国，这是我们的文化，我们的信仰，让更多的人一起了解和参与到国家安全意识的建立，有什么不好呢。

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Thanks for watching and giving some more context on the national security park, very different than home so some local perspective is nice. 👍

[@firefly4784]

@@WanderingBluePassports In China, you see these messages from the gov to its people in public facilities everywhere. Some are pretty funny, like encouraging people from all ethnicities to unite like a Pom… some are asking people to behave in a civilized way and treat your families and neighbors well, some are about what the core socialism values are, some are calling the CCP party members to stick to its founding principles to serve the people…. It is certainly something quite unique to China. Basically, in China, the gov is constantly reminding people what good values are and what they should follow. As a result, the society is more homogeneous in values and more coherent. It could help in managing a big diverse country of 56 ethnicities and 1.4 billion population.

[@andyhuang5922]

These guys barely talked to anybody in Xinjiang. I don’t know who paid them to discredit other KZbinrs but I enjoyed King Kwesi’s Xinjiang videos more. He documented Muslims streaming out of mosques after Friday prayers. He was interacting with all kinds of people even the police. I recommend people read Shaun Rein’s The Split. He writes about his three trips to Xinjiang where he visited cotton farms and he actually talked to Uyghurs.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

lol I wish someone paid us to judge KZbin shills. If you know someone paying, get us in touch please. We don't even make money from KZbin yet lol

[@nghitran2067]

Why do the west and America keep worrying about the Muslim in China but not talking about the Palestinian genocide in Gaza?

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Why would I talk about Gaza in a video about Xinjiang? You seem to be confused. We have also never been to Gaza so it would certainly be weird for me to do. Go find others talking about it, there are lots.

[@samlee6938]

The Han Chinese tourists dressing up in Uyghur clothing is more akin to tourists dressing up in Kimono in Japan. There's nothing insensitive or disrespectful about that. They just think they are beautiful and appreciate their culture. Many Hans also dress up in Hans traditional clothing for Instagram photos too; you wouldn't think Hans would be disrespectful to themselves, would you? Hans and Uyghurs are both among the five official ethnic groups that make up the "Chinese". Hans don't see Uyghurs as a different "race" or inferior and vice versa; also, the RMB bills have Uyghur scripts on it. In the US, the whites and native Indians are different race and the whites had treated native Indians horribly accordingly in the past. If any whites dress up in, say, the Mohawks, it would be seen as some sort of a sick joke because of the brutal history and how the whites mostly still look down on the native Indians and view them as inferior. Also, the US currency bills have "In God We Trust" (Christianity) and exclude anything related to native Indians. What you said about "western sensitivity" is more like your projection of racism in the US and discrimination against the native Indians by the whites onto the relationships among ethnic (but not racial) groups in China.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Thanks for your thoughts on the issue. A few people have shared thoughts in the comments. It's important we brought it up because then people like you share your thoughts and we can hear the thoughts on it. We also talked to Locals in Tibet about the same thing there and they said roughly the same thing. As long as people are being respectful about it, they don't mind. Nice to know.

[@firefly4784]

If you notice, local Uyghurs are still living in that very touristy town and their kids are running free on the streets by themselves. It is not strange at all to have security guarding the town to ensure safety of both tourists and residents.

[@fakoneuwyong]

To the Western perspective, if some ethnic want to separate & build their own country must be supported, that's why we always love western thinking, eventhough the Western countries used to invade & occupy our asian countries so long, it feels like they taught us to be civilized, they're sent by God & ofcourse always right.

[@FrankZhang-pj9nn]

实际上你不了解中国的民族政策，作为一个汉族的中国人，我甚至有点嫉妒我们的维吾尔族和藏族，国家对他们提供了超国民的政策，比如国家在一个孩子生育政策年代，对少数民族是没有限制人口的。参加中国学生最重要的大学考试时，对这些民族是有特殊照顾，可以以远远低于其它民族的分数考上好的大学。再比如像喀什，国家免费给当地人建房，让他们从危房中搬出来。另外像政府将一些发达省市的税收用于改善新疆，西藏这些边远地区的基础建设和民生。甚至一些发达的一二线城市会对新疆和西藏最贫穷的地区有一对一的帮扶带，让他们脱离贫穷。这些都是西方媒体不会报道的。

[@firefly4784]

Yep, not a tiny bit of such things done by the Chinese gov to the minorities would be reported in western news.

[@shanfong4342]

you definitely have your own bias.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

As I plainly and clearly admitted in the video. Many in the comment section aren't so brave 😂😂😂

[@Sfran_]

From my personal experience and others’ feedbacks in the comment section, I found that there were quite a few comments either got hidden from hot comments or completely removed. I have no idea if it’s done by KZbin or the vlogger. I didn’t say anything inappropriate according to community rules, only trying to explain how the West writes about Xinjiang and the motives behind, yet those comments disappeared. Another demonstration of double-standard and carefully controlled filter and censorship. 😂

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Well no need to worry about your comments, they are coming through here. KZbin's systems/algorithm are certainly complex. Lots of people avoid saying different things to avoid KZbin's algorithms.

[@Sfran_]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@WanderingBluePassports Thanks for your response. Oh well, my comments under this video are considered ‘harmless’ and they can be shown I guess😅. However, like I said, in your previous video, I’ve tried a few times to leave a comment and I even rewrote some words, yet none of them came through😂

[@Sfran_]

@@WanderingBluePassports Btw, there’s a much higher chance for comments that tried to explain things about Xinjiang (or China in whole) differently to the West mainstream views to get removed on KZbin and other social media platforms (eg. Twitter).😅

[@Sfran_]

@@WanderingBluePassports I’ve just tested to send another comment here and it didn’t come through. Now I can confirm that it wasn’t KZbin removing my comments.

[@Sfran_]

I’ve just tested to send another comment here and it didn’t come through. Now I can confirm that it wasn’t KZbin removing my comments.

[@Sfran_]

19:20 Canadians can get relaxed as there’s the U.S. who’s responsible for Canada’s national security. But it is of course not for free though lol

[@maniacyro5167]

I agree that coming to a place as a tourist for a couple of days won't give you the entire truth about the people's lives in that region. And I also agree that many other youtubers are being a little naive. But at the same time, there are a lot of things you CAN see with your own eyes just spending a couple of minutes walking the streets. Every sign is bilingual, locals speak Uyghur all the time, so the government is not killing the language. Many mosques aroung the Xingjiang area and almost all restaurants are halal, so the government is not baning muslims. The "ancient town" you visited is very touristy and renovated from the true old town, which were basiclly dirt houses and genuinely dangerous to live in. At the time when the old town of Kashgar was torn down, many western media accused the government of "destroying the culture". But those dirt houses might crumble any time and the government is doing its best to make the new "ancient town" look traditional. I'm not saying they did a perfect job at that, but you see it with your own eyes, at least they are not building skyscrapers on top of it. If the government really want to kill the culture why do they rebuild them Uyghur style? If you really care to find the truth, you can also vist the cotton fields. I think there are many not far from Kashgar. You will find most of them operated mechnically with very few "slave labours".

[@WanderingBluePassports]

I really appreciate your well reasoned response. So many people, I think, feel attacked and so lash out emotionally and just think they are defending China or something. I appreciate that you see our perspective and also kindly and in detail shared yours.

[@maniacyro5167]

@@WanderingBluePassports I think a fundamental misunderstanding of the Xinjiang issue in the west is the government is actually not trying to kill the ethnicity or the religion or the culture. What the government is truly trying to kill at all cost is seperatism. If there is one thing the Chinese government has zero tolerance of, it is the seperatism (just look at Taiwan you will get the idea) and terrorism. It all started from the Kungming attack 10 years ago. The government was taken by surprise and panicked and definitely overreacted a little at that time. To put things into context, that was exactly when th ISIS movements was at its height. A connection was immediately made between Islamic extremist and seperatism and terrorism in the region so the government swiftly cracked down. The interesting thing is, in the first years, the west media didn't cover this at all, because back then ISIS was the biggest enemy. It was not until recent years that we see more and more converage and it just so coincide with the increasing hostility against China and viewing it as the main enemy by the west. But all those things including the so called reeducation center are long gone by then. Maybe you think I am a government shill, but this is from a Han Chinese who think the current government is the worst since mao.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

No, I don't think you are a shill at all. You are the most reasonable person in these comments. I really genuinely appreciate your comments bro. Thank you.

[@firefly4784]

Yeah I remembered a BBC video saying the Chinese gov was destroying Uyghur houses, and a lot of other videos on YT claiming this around that time, using some photos of construction sites as evidence. The truth is the Chinese gov spent 6 billion on that renovation projects.

[@alishacoombes8476]

Hi German friends!! That area and view is gorgeous!

[@robintan502]

you will do find out the truth if you spend a month or more travelling yourself on a bike unchaperoned. No one stops you. Plenty of foreign tourists have done that, so bullshit or not , every one will know the predominant truth if they try , rather than just "leaning" or pandering to which side of the narrative. The KZbinrs aint bullshitting , they're just reporting their experience , just as you did in your comments. And based on the wealth of unabridged reports by tourists or long time foreign residents touring this region, we kinda have a good barometer of which narrative is closer to the truth, and which are likely peppered with half truths or lies to spin a peticular narrative. No country is perfect, but the perception particular media or "humn rights organisation" are attempting to sow, we can make up our minds if we try to experience it instead of just listening to media. Fun fact, there exists also human rights organisations and even UN special rapportuers reporting Xinjiang in a good light, but we never see these reported in the same media that keeos harping "China bad" narratives.

[@爱就一个字]

新疆一堆外国人 只是你去的季节不对 新疆太大了 中国人自己过去玩 都要租汽车 不然没法玩

[@WanderingBluePassports]

The other tourists missed out, we thought it was a very pleasant time to visit. Not too hot, not too cold, minimal lines. Very good time to go.

[@爱就一个字]

我们一般8-9月去 玩15天 租车玩 风景区离城市太远 你什么时间拍摄的

[@WanderingBluePassports]

We were there just 10 days ago.

[@fziyi]

我就奇怪為何他倆去都沒遊客？我9月去人山人海😁

[@爱就一个字]

@@fziyi 他上面回答了 10天前 我刚开始也觉得奇怪

[@Liminghwa]

When it comes to China, it feels like a lose-lose situation. If you don’t visit, you’re left with the worst impressions from Western reports. If you do visit, you dismiss what people there actually say. At the end of the day, there’s no point trying to wake someone pretending to be asleep.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

It is lose-lose. If you don't visit China, you miss out on a wonderful and interesting place. If you do visit, Chinese netizens in the comments endlessly attack you for any reason they feel fragile or insecure about. 😂

[@Liminghwa]

@ Sounds tough-imagine being constantly attacked with accusations, even when they’re baseless, and having them stick no matter what you say or do. Must feel exhausting, right? Now, multiply that feeling by a billion people and decades of scrutiny-that’s what China deals with on the world stage. Perhaps they’re not being “fragile” but just tired of the relentless cycle of false narratives. Sound familiar?

[@WanderingBluePassports]

lol an honestly well reasoned point. The issue I take is that so many while claiming that western media, and KZbinrs like us are full of lies, would someone risk fines and legal consequences by illegal use of VPNs to access Western Information and prohibited materials.... That they claim to despise? Why risk legal trouble to have access to KZbin, Wikipedia, and Western Media if it's all so poisonous?

[@Liminghwa]

@@WanderingBluePassports The desire to access foreign media, even if it’s critical, reflects curiosity, not hypocrisy. Many Chinese people use VPNs to see what’s being said about their country, including falsehoods. This stems from a history of political chaos caused by misinformation, such as during the May Fourth Movement and the Cultural Revolution, where unchecked rumors led to widespread instability. China has learned from these turbulent times that disinformation can destabilize society, which is why there’s caution regarding Western media today. Let’s consider the real reason many Western outlets are restricted in China. It’s not because China fears criticism but because platforms like KZbin, Twitter, and Facebook refuse to comply with Chinese laws. For example, China demands accountability for content that spreads false narratives or incites unrest-standards those companies reject. This isn’t arrogance on China’s part; it’s sovereignty. If Western platforms won’t respect local rules, why should they expect unfettered access?

[@Liminghwa]

@@WanderingBluePassports There are numerous examples of fake news that have impacted China’s stability: 1. The “Tank Man” narrative from 1989 Tiananmen incident: Widely misrepresented, it fueled anti-China sentiments worldwide, even though the actual events are more complex than depicted. 2. The 2008 Tibet riots: Western media outlets like CNN were caught cropping photos to misrepresent violence, framing Chinese authorities as aggressors while omitting the attacks on civilians. 3. Xinjiang genocide claims: Fabricated by Adrian Zenz, a politically motivated individual, and amplified by the likes of Mike Pompeo without solid evidence, these claims attempt to sow discord within China. China’s policies are deeply rooted in Confucianism, which prioritizes societal harmony and collective well-being over unchecked individualism. The government sees its role as maintaining stability and ensuring prosperity for the majority, learning from past periods of disorder caused by misinformation and foreign interference.

[@firefly4784]

Nothing is opened in the morning because there is only one time zone in China and people in Xinjiang have their own schedule to adjust to that, that is to start the day hours later. I once watched a BBC report in which a journalist suggested Uyghurs were persecuted because the business were not open in the morning 😅

[@gwto7448]

18:48 I think we need to understand the context of this situation before interpreting a message in its entirety. National security theme refers to the country's ongoing threats from extremism ideals and activities. It could be useful to read and understand its history about the religious extremists ideology and why it was a threat to the government in the past. Therefore this becomes a national security issue and everyone plays a part to prevent or report such issues. Other countries are no exception.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Thanks for sharing your perspective. Always helpful when things are so different than home. 👍

[@FreddieWu]

12:15 "Be civilized" is a translation tihng, and it is not unique in Kashgar. As a matter of fact, similar slogans can be seen through out China. The original Chinese text actual apeals for more coniderate behaviours from the ciizens. But due to some weird habit in Chinese education, it almost always gett translated to "be civilized", which sounds very awkward.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

That's exactly what drew my attention, it seemed too aggressive to say "be civilized". That makes much more sense.

[@firefly4784]

@@WanderingBluePassports They would call themselves Propaganda Bureau 😂 when it is actually more like department of public relations or cultural promotions…. The Chinese gov sucks at advertising themselves. They don’t know propaganda is a derogatory word. They need to hire some foreigners to help them with propaganda in English.

[@alexkwok7445]

I suggest you find an original Straw and Mud house in Xinjiang, those that do not have plumbing for sewers and fresh water, and live there for at least a period of time, to experience the real life of Xinjiang. Those houses in Kashgar old town were like that few decades ago. Find out what happened to them.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

We did come across some in Turpan, check out our most recent video, we have some clips from the time near our river walk. Old town Kashgar is certainly, mostly redone, we could tell instantly. Still nice to visit though.

[@firefly4784]

@@WanderingBluePassports The movie Knite Runner was filed in Kashgar for a lot of scenes. So you can have a glimpse of the old town before renovation after a major earthquake that destroyed many those mud houses. The century tea house in Kashgar can be seen in that movie.

[@kblima]

i suggest you do some reading before commenting. Xinjiang is not all Uyghur. Urumqi is situated where Central Asia meets the Taklamakan basin. Just look at its situation on the map. Thus it reflects the multi ethnic society at the crossroads between the Kazakh and the Uyghur worlds.

[@lizerich7044]

The local government made efforts to keep the Muslims colturee lives very well

[@Sfran_]

News and featured reports are not objective. There are always different reports based on different standpoints and there IS false information in them. News writers use methods such as agenda setting, taking things out of context, exaggerating, mixing true and false information, and making up stories/data/information sources to convey their pre-set content in a seemingly objective, neutral and balanced way. By the way, I majored in communication studies.

[@firefly4784]

And use either derogatory or complimentary words to subtly manipulate public opinions.

[@laifamily7804]

I don't know about camps, but claims about cultural genocide or ethnic oppression is obviously debunked by your own video. Their architecture and language is seen everywhere in your 2 videos about xinjiang, which already leads me to doubt any orgs that stuck to those claims and their motive behind it. So it does make sense that ppl believe what they see in these videos

[@jenniferzhang864]

I was raised in China and have been living in the USA for 30 years. Nothing reported is true.!

[@firefly4784]

I guess it is because the west don't usually promote China in any way, including travelling, so foreigners mostly only know Beijing and Shanghai, and Xinjiang and Tibet are terrible places in their minds. Actually, those two, especially Xinjiang (with no altitude problems) are the most popular destinations for Chinese domestic travellers. I've noticed that Kashgar has become more and more touristy, and at the same time, more elaborate and developed.

[@TheSmokey1523]

You should go to the Sunday market where they sell animals.

[@CloudHan-han]

Thank you blogger for speaking up and speaking out. I respect your honesty, thank you!

[@avil8686]

Is this CNN propaganda channel

[@WanderingBluePassports]

If that's the case, we are still waiting on our paycheque. Please let them know we haven't been paid... ever. Oh also, don't forget to SMASH THAT LIKE BUTTON AND SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE SUPER COOL PROPAGANDA 🥳🥳🥳💥💥💥🥳🥳🥳

[@00001111henry]

KZbin don’t edit videos deeper inside Kashgar Xinjaing how beautiful town in the world 🌍. You guys good 👍🏻 job.

[@firefly4784]

Haha, the be civilized signs are everywhere in China, making you wonder how uncivilized Chinese could be.... Those signs are gov's messages to the people, some are interesting, some are hilarious, some are stupid...

[@kevintian6064]

Be civilized roughly means please have good manners, such as be friendly to each other, watch the traffic lights and so on…..so many things, kinda like encouraging people be a good person. Haha

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Bro! I hope this is the Kevin I want it to be. Look at how bullied we are in the comments! Hahaha So many people are CONVINCED we are attacking or anti-china when we actually love being here. You know the truth at least and that's all that matters to me brother

[@FreddieWu]

18:50 Such 主题公园 "theme park" are quite common acros Chinese cities, too. Parks like the "Constitution Theme Park" (宪法主题公园), "Anti-narcotics Theme Park" (禁毒主题公园), etc. It is mostly for propaganda purposes. They are mostly normal parks or squares, but with propaganda billboards/statues/bulletin boards/etc. dotted around the place. Mostly people do not care about them, as they are just part of the CPC's ineffective propaganda tools that exists.

[@firefly4784]

Education purpose, not propaganda purpose

[@大的小萝卜]

我觉着他们俩就是一个普通游客，至于对中国有没有偏见，我感觉无关紧要。不在在意他说什么，就算是抹黑也没有关系。

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Thanks, we are just ordinary tourists. Not a smear campaign, go watch our other 19 China videos.... Everyone judges so quickly because the internet is a toxic waste dump. 😂 Don't forget to subscribe!

[@杜子腾-w8l]

bbc在咒骂你🤬

[@WanderingBluePassports]

So many comments about BBC...we are Canadian maybe you mean CBC? Or maybe..... Is it a fetish thing? lol

[@王温候]

你的视频很不错，但我建议没必要去跟评论区的人讨论政治，视频的画面就足以说明一切了。Your video is great, but I suggest there's no need to discuss politics with people in the comments section. The video speaks for itself.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Thank you so much for watching and understanding!

[@Thejoyoftango]

This is a mission, but it is like a clown.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

I don't understand. Try DeepL.

[@chaichad7227]

We currently have a 144-hour visa-free policy, and we are gradually extending the duration and expanding the scope of visa-free countries. This approach itself stems from confidence, and we hope that more foreign tourists will come here to see it personally. The opinions of one or two individuals are not important. When the number of foreign tourists who come to China is large enough, the truth will speak for itself. Just like you not wanting to explain or refute comments that question whether you have received money, I also do not want to explain or refute your remarks; it's a waste of time.

[@WanderingBluePassports]

I have responded to many comments that say we are paid. We don't make money from KZbin at all right now as we don't currently hit the watch thresholds to earn ad revenue..., let alone getting paid from some government. But at this rate, I would be glad to take US government propaganda money if they would paid me to make fun of idiots that leave stupid ass comments like yours. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and SMASH the notification bell so you can leave a dumbass comment on the next video! 💯💯💯

[@WanderingBluePassports]

Ok, good clap back. Credit where credit is due. With that said, I can see you're not subscribed, so make sure you don't forget so you can judge our next bad video.

[@jliu7206]

🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️