Freedom of religious belief fully protected in Xinjiang: imam

URUMQI, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- As an imam of a major mosque in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Memet Jume is well-positioned to witness how freedom of religious belief is protected and guaranteed in the region.

His mosque, the Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar, southern Xinjiang, has a history of more than 500 years. After it was listed as a key national cultural relics unit in 2001, the Chinese government has several times allocated special funds to carry out major renovations for the mosque.

Thanks to government support, the mosque now boasts flush toilets, shower rooms, tap water, internet connection, a heating system, and firefighting equipment, among other modern facilities.

From late 2021 to early 2022, the government again invested over 1 million yuan (about 158,000 U.S. dollars) in repairing the gatehouse, roads, fences and steps of the mosque, Memet Jume said.

As the son of an imam of the same mosque, Memet Jume is delighted to see that the historic religious venue has become a major tourist attraction in Kashgar.

"It is located at the heart of Kashgar's old city," said Memet Jume. "More than 2,000 visitors visited the mosque every day during the peak tourist season last year. The number was even bigger before the epidemic."

The religious freedom of all ethnic groups is fully guaranteed in Xinjiang, he said, noting that believers are free to participate in religious activities at the mosque.

In the winter, due to the cold weather, many believers prefer to worship in their homes or go to the mosque in the afternoons.

"We usually receive over 100 worshippers in winter afternoons, and the number would double in the summer," said Memet Jume. "Residents living in the neighborhood are the bulk of the worshippers while Muslim tourists or business people also drop by."

At present, Memet Jume, also a deputy to the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, is busy researching his proposal as the annual session approaches.

During last year's session, he put forward a proposal for strengthening efforts to train medical talent in the countryside and at the community level.

"This year, I will continue to focus on the work and livelihood of ordinary people," he said.