Dancers perform at the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on January 31, 2025. Photo: VCG

Editor's Note:

Despite some Western political forces continuing to run smear campaigns against Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, they won't deter the people in the region from embracing peace and prosperity, nor will they halt Xinjiang society's steady development. Seeing is believing, and facts and truth will eventually debunk all lies. In the "Xinjiang Upclose" series, the Global Times (GT) will publish conversations with and articles from scholars and observers from around the world who have visited the region, sharing their firsthand experience of traveling to Xinjiang and observing the daily lives of its people. Through their insights and experiences, we aim to present an authentic perspective on Xinjiang. 

In the third article of the series, GT reporter Wang Wenwen interviewed Turkish filmmaker Serkan Ko? (Ko?). His half-hour film, Nar (Pomegranate) - 7 Days in Xinjiang, based on his week-long stay in the region, was recently aired in Turkey. He noted that what he observed in Xinjiang was vastly different from what he had heard in the US.

GT: How did you come up with the idea of making a documentary about Xinjiang? 

Ko?: Back in 2016, when I was in Washington, I saw a small group in front of the White House chanting slogans about China oppressing the Uygurs. Their claims caught my attention. Who were these people, and were their claims true? In November 2019, the media group I was working for at the time planned a trip to China. I felt I needed to see for myself whether what I had heard in Washington was true. What I saw in Xinjiang was vastly different from what I had heard in front of the White House. I had to convey this contradiction to my country and the world through the language of cinema. It took time, but I succeeded. 

GT: Can you share with me your experience in Xinjiang? What impressed you most about the region?

Ko?: In Xinjiang, I witnessed how socialism enriches society and creates a peaceful community. What impressed me most was how labor mobilization and collectivism propel a society forward. I visited model villages and saw how, through cooperatives, a honey producer, for example, could become part of the national market and prosper as a result. I observed how China's development and prosperity extend to every part of society.

In fact, I want to depict this in my next film, starting with a model village. This is exactly what our founding father, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, aimed to achieve. Most importantly, as I mentioned at the beginning, all this progress, modernization and prosperity are driven by a collective mobilization. In China, there are 56 ethnic groups working in harmony. Without peace, there can be no prosperity.

This is why I chose to name my film Nar ("pomegranate" in Turkish). From the outside, it appears as one, but inside, it holds hundreds of seeds, bound together in harmony - just like China, 56 ethnic groups, one Chinese nation. In this sense, I found it very similar to my own country. We, too, are composed of many different ethnic elements, coming together as one Turkish nation.

GT: Many Westerners who have visited Xinjiang often find that the Xinjiang they see is different from what the media in their countries portray. Why is this the case? At a group meeting of deputies from the delegation of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region held during the third session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing earlier this month, NPC deputy Ma Xingrui, who is also the Party chief of the region, invited people to go and see Xinjiang for themselves. How can your documentary help people gain an objective understanding of Xinjiang?

Ko?: People see the world from where they stand. In the West, we look at the East and China from a Western perspective. Unfortunately, in front of our eyes, there is a media filter that serves Western propaganda. Knowing this, I did not place any filter between my camera and what I saw. I wanted to reflect the truth with full transparency. Because of this, my documentary has become a guide for those curious about China, socialism, and Uygur culture and way of life. But this is just the beginning. Xinjiang is an enormous region with countless stories waiting to be told. I hope I get the opportunity to tell more of them.

I must emphasize that I made this film for my country. I believe my country's prosperity, peace and well-being depend on strengthening its relationships with its neighbors, the peoples of Asia and China.  

GT: The US often smears Xinjiang under the pretext of human rights. Given the US' own human rights record, do you think it is qualified to point its accusing finger at Xinjiang? Having experienced the difference between the real Xinjiang and narratives coming from Washington, what do you think is the US' objective in its smear campaign against Xinjiang?

Ko?: Eastern civilization, with China as its driving force, is rising. The US, which has fallen behind in the race, needs to distract and slow down the rising power of China. Ethnic and religious conflicts are part of the US' strategy to keep its adversaries occupied. The war in Ukraine was also started to keep Russia preoccupied. The West creates certain "quagmires" to distract its rivals - Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, China, etc. But it seems that China's socialist economic model, which brings prosperity and peace to society, has prevented the US from achieving its goals in Xinjiang. From what I've seen, Xinjiang is flourishing. On the one side, I heard empty slogans in Washington; on the other, I saw wealth and stability. Which one would people choose to follow?

GT: What feedback did you receive from the audience of your documentary? What advice would you give to people who want to visit Xinjiang?

Ko?: Unfortunately, Western propaganda is highly influential in Turkey because it is a NATO country. The Uygur issue is framed around "Turkish identity," which is a sensitive topic for the Turkish people, and this approach is quite effective. As a result, my audience consisted of people who had doubts about Xinjiang, were influenced by Western propaganda and were questioning the developments there.

My goal in making the documentary was to ensure that my audience understood the issue correctly, as I have a very specific and discerning viewership. Naturally, what I presented in the film surprised them. They expected to see an "open-air prison," but instead, they saw happy people dancing in the open air. I simply reflected on what I saw, heard, and recorded as it was. My audience, who trusts my objectivity, was deeply moved by what they saw.

The film was released two months ago, and I still receive and respond to dozens of comments and messages daily. I have taken the first step. As far as I know, this is the first time a Turkish director has produced a documentary (and I emphasize documentary) on the Uygur issue. I believe that new documentaries and tourist visits to Xinjiang will render US propaganda ineffective.