STORY: Iraqi party leader marvels at remarkable development in China's Xinjiang
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: July 14, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:37
LOCATION: Baghdad
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Xinjiang
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): KAWA MAHMOUD, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Kurdistan Communist Party/Iraq
3. various of Xinjiang
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): KAWA MAHMOUD, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Kurdistan Communist Party/Iraq

STORYLINE:

Reflecting on his visits to China's Xinjiang in 2019 and 2024, Iraqi politician Kawa Mahmoud marveled at the region's significant advancements across various aspects.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): KAWA MAHMOUD, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Kurdistan Communist Party/Iraq
"I visited Xinjiang twice, in 2019 and 2024. During these five years, Xinjiang has achieved tremendous development in all aspects.
The great progress Xinjiang has made in its development is inseparable from China's overall development. In recent years, China has made notable achievements in realizing poverty eradication, promoting high-quality development and fostering Chinese-style modernization, all of which are also reflected in Xinjiang's development.
Xinjiang has also seen tremendous developments in security, stability and ethnic relations. Xinjiang is home to numerous ethnic groups with harmonious ethnic relations.
This is because the Chinese government attaches great importance to balanced urban and rural development as well as balanced regional development. Ethnic relations in Xinjiang are harmonious, and the culture of each ethnic minority is fully respected."

Mahmoud pointed out that the smear campaigns by Western media about Xinjiang are complete distortions of facts. 

SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): KAWA MAHMOUD, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Kurdistan Communist Party/Iraq
"The Arab countries have realized that the smearing of the so-called 'ethnic problem' by the Western media is contrary to the facts, and that China's adherence to the regional ethnic autonomy system and its successful exploration of a model of ethnic relations with its own characteristics provide a useful reference for the Arab countries."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Baghdad.
(XHTV)