URUMQI, July 29 (Xinhua) -- A five-day tour across northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has deeply impressed senior editors of 23 media outlets from 18 countries.

Before visiting Xinjiang, Musallam al-Dawsari from Saudi Arabia said he had not thought that Xinjiang's development had reached such a level.

Al-Dawsari, who heads the public relations and news department at Sabq online newspaper, said he hoped to do more reporting about Xinjiang and tell the world more about the northwestern corner of China.

The tour, which was part of a seminar hosted by the Information Office of the State Council, ran from July 21 to 25. It took the group of senior editors to Urumqi, the regional capital, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture and Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili. They visited locals and the logistics center for China-Europe freight trains in Urumqi among other venues.

Roads in both rural and urban areas in Xinjiang have been well built, said Aslan Sydkov, chief redactor with the Akipress agency of Kyrgyzstan. He said he was surprised by Xinjiang's development.

"Kyrgyzstan neighbors China's Xinjiang. I feel confident in the Belt and Road Initiative which I believe provides a good opportunity for cooperation and trade between the two countries."

It was also Ahmed el-Sayed Madkor's first time visiting Xinjiang. Madkor, senior director with Egyptian state TV, said through close contact and observation, he knew the Chinese government has attached great importance to the region's development. He said he really liked Xinjiang.

The editors were from 18 countries, including Russia, India, Pakistan. They also visited Beijing after the Xinjiang tour.