STORY: Scholar's investigation exposes Western fabrication of "forced labor" rumors
DATELINE: Oct. 21, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:53
LOCATION: URUMQI, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Xinjiang
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): TUERSUN AIBAI, Associate Professor, School of Journalism and Communication, Xinjiang University
3. various of Tuersun Aibai working
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): TUERSUN AIBAI, Associate Professor, School of Journalism and Communication, Xinjiang University

STORYLINE:

A Uygur expert in China's Xinjiang has published an article on a Chinese journal, delving behind the Western fabrication of "forced labor" rumors about the Chinese region.

In recent years, Tuersun Aibai with Xinjiang University has conducted an extensive study of over 30,000 Xinjiang-related stories from 15 countries and regions.

He analyzed the evolution process, the political and economic motives, as well as the strategies of public opinion manipulation behind the "forced labor" fallacy.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): TUERSUN AIBAI, Associate Professor, School of Journalism and Communication, Xinjiang University
"In the process of researching and writing this article, I also observed that some so-called experts and scholars from abroad had not conducted on-site investigations (in China's Xinjiang). They were neither familiar with the situation in Xinjiang, nor the employment of the surplus rural labor force, nor the circumstances of ethnic minority workers. Meanwhile, during their research, they selectively excerpted and maliciously distorted reports from the government and media of our country, using these tactics to support their supposed arguments and research findings. Such selective excerpting and distortion of existing data cannot withstand scrutiny, and it does not conform to academic ethics and morals."

In the article, Tuersun Aibai wrote that the "forced labor" fallacy has a long-term planning process and clear public opinion manipulation strategy. 

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): TUERSUN AIBAI, Associate Professor, School of Journalism and Communication, Xinjiang University
"Their first tactic is to "criminalize" the Chinese government. After fabricating falsehoods about so-called "forced labor," they escalate their claims further by alleging that the Chinese government is carrying out so-called "genocide" in Xinjiang.
Their second tactic is to stigmatize our country's policies related to the employment of the surplus rural labor force, by labeling it as "forced labor."
Another tactic involves tarnishing China's assistance measures for the employed surplus rural labor force.
Furthermore, Western media maliciously quote, or tendentiously quote, statements from anti-China politicians and individuals, using this method to convey their own viewpoints, ideas, and biases behind these quotations. They express their stances with such tactics. In this process, they rarely cite remarks from scholars on the Chinese side or from the Chinese government. They do not allow us the opportunity to present our position or clarify the facts."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Urumqi, China.
(XHTV)