A select group of leading media professionals from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East will embark on the “China Up Close” media fieldtrip to Xinjiang, China, from June 15 to 22, 2025. This immersive visit aims to provide an in-depth look at Xinjiang’s rich cultural diversity, historical heritage, and rapid socio-economic development amid China’s broader opening-up policies.
The week-long itinerary offers participants a unique opportunity to explore key sites across the Turpan-Hami region, including visits to religious and medical institutions, traditional villages, museums, and heritage centers. Highlights include touring the ancient city of Turpan, the Thousand Buddha Caves, the Karez irrigation system, and the Muqam Heritage Center, all of which showcase Xinjiang’s blend of history and modernization.
Journalists will also engage with local enterprises focusing on traditional Chinese medicine, high-tech agriculture, and the burgeoning wine industry, gaining firsthand insight into how industries are driving income growth and rural development. The program includes visits to solar thermal power projects and initiatives promoting rural tourism and sustainable livelihoods for herders.
The fieldtrip is designed to deepen media understanding of Xinjiang’s multifaceted identity, countering prevailing narratives by highlighting the region’s economic progress, cultural preservation efforts, and social stability. It follows recent international forums held in Xinjiang, such as the 2025 Media Cooperation Forum of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Countries, which emphasized media’s role in fostering connectivity and mutual understanding across the region.
The journey also includes high-speed train travel to Turpan and Hami, allowing delegates to experience Xinjiang’s modern transportation infrastructure alongside its historic and cultural landmarks.
Organizers hope the fieldtrip will enrich journalists’ reporting on China by providing an authentic, firsthand perspective on Xinjiang’s development, cultural diversity, and the everyday lives of its people. The visit also aims to foster international media cooperation and dialogue in line with China’s vision of openness and shared prosperity.
As Xinjiang continues to emerge as a strategic hub connecting Central Asia, Eurasia, South Asia, and the Middle East, this media initiative underscores the importance of balanced and nuanced coverage of the region’s dynamic transformation.
