Rana Mohamed, an associate professor of political science and international relations at Suez Canal University, who visited the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in May last year, said she was astonished by the contrast between reality and Western portrayals of "violations, terrorism and genocide" there. She found the region safe, vibrant, and welcoming, with people countering extremism not only through security measures but also through culture, work, and economic growth. She urged more people to see the truth on the ground rather than relying on biased narratives.

Intern Lian Yige contributed to this story.