'It was a very different place from how it's perceived in the West,' A British Australian's 3000-km journey through Xinjiang

"It was a very different place from how it's perceived." James Wood, an Anglo-Australian teacher and social media creator currently based in Xiamen, China, shared this heartfelt sentiment after completing a 10-day, 3,000-kilometer RV trip across Xinjiang.

In an exclusive interview with China News Network, Wood recounted his personal encounters across Xinjiang and other parts of China. Before his time in China, one-sided Western media narratives shaped his biased perceptions of the region. This immersive road trip further changed his perspective, disproving fabricated claims of cultural eradication and ethnic oppression.

Uyghur script is widely displayed on road signs and storefronts across Xinjiang. Local residents freely switch between Uyghur and Mandarin in daily communication, and people of all ethnic groups live stable, peaceful lives full of everyday warmth. During his travels, James was warmly invited into a grassland yurt, experiencing authentic local pastoral life up close.

James continues to share his on-the-ground observations on global social platforms to counter rampant disinformation. Despite online smears and malicious attacks for some time, he firmly believes firsthand experience always outweighs hearsay. He sincerely invites people from all over the world to visit Xinjiang and witness the region's authentic life and true beauty for themselves. (Lin Zhuowei)