The Power of Seeing for Yourself: Why Direct Engagement Matters for Asia-Pacific Youth
Editor's Note: In the final piece of the series, Wirun Phichaiwongphakdee shares his personal journey to Xinjiang, emphasizing the importance of firsthand observation in overcoming prejudice. He calls on Asia-Pacific youth to engage in direct exchanges, arguing that mutual understanding is the foundation for peace and a shared future in the region.
Over the years, I had heard many accounts of Xinjiang and read extensively about it. But as a scholar, I have always believed that the best way to understand a place is to go there and see it for yourself. That was why I traveled from Bangkok, covering more than 10,000 kilometers on the round trip, to visit Xinjiang for the first time.
One of my stops was the International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi. There was no festival that day. It was simply an ordinary day. The bazaar was bustling with visitors and filled with shops displaying all kinds of goods. I could hear the sounds of traditional Xinjiang instruments, and everywhere I looked, I saw smiles on the faces of vendors and visitors.
Later, I visited the Urumqi Old Town Renovation Archive. Standing in the narrow, dim old houses preserved there, I found myself thinking about the Urumqi I had just traveled through. The contrast was striking. Since 2017, Urumqi has gradually redeveloped old town areas and shantytowns, improving not only housing but also water, electricity, heating, sewage systems, and community services. At the archive, I saw photographs of residents moving into new homes. What stayed with me most was not the height of the buildings, but the smiles on their faces.
President Xi Jinping has consistently put the people first, emphasizing that nothing is more important than enabling people to live happy lives. What I saw in Xinjiang was this philosophy of development in practice. The progress of a city must ultimately make a difference in the homes of ordinary people. Chinese modernization, too, must ultimately be reflected in people’s everyday lives.
During my journey, I also saw Xinjiang’s smart agriculture, the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, drones, and large cotton harvesters. From the plane, I saw vast wind farms and solar power facilities stretching across the landscape as well.
That is why I would especially like to say this to the young people here today: If you have the chance, visit Xinjiang and see it for yourselves. Walk through the International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi. Visit local communities. Sit down and talk with young people there.
President Xi Jinping has called for exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and proposed the Global Civilization Initiative. For me, real mutual learning among civilizations begins when we truly get to know one another. I come to your country and see you for who you truly are. You come to mine and know me for who I truly am. The more we understand each other, the more common ground we discover. The closer young people become, the stronger the foundation for peace and development across the Asia-Pacific.
Our countries may differ, and our development paths may be different, but our peoples share the same hope for a better life. Cooperation means enabling more people to share the benefits of development and more countries to share the opportunities of modernization. This is also a task that our generation of young people across the Asia-Pacific should take on together.
When young people join hands, we are doing more than carrying on the friendship of previous generations. We are creating the future of the Asia-Pacific together.
(If you have specific expertise, or would like to share your thoughts, please send us your writings at CAobservation@outlook.com)
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