BEIJING, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- People of all ethnic groups in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region are enjoying sustained social stability and shared development, thanks to the faithful implementation of the guidelines of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on governing Xinjiang in the new era.

Since the CPC's 18th national congress in 2012, the Party has planned the work related to Xinjiang from the holistic and strategic perspective of building a strong China and pursuing national rejuvenation, upholding social stability and lasting peace and security as the overall goal of the work.

For a period, Xinjiang faced rampant sabotaging activities by ethnic separatists, religious extremists and terrorists, which severely disrupted local stability and brought immense suffering to the people of all ethnic groups.

Over the years, law-based measures to combat terrorism and maintain stability have yielded landmark results. Xinjiang has gone many years without violent or terrorist incidents, and it enjoys enhanced ethnic unity -- with all ethnic groups closely bound like seeds of a pomegranate.

Achievements are tangible and commendable across all fields, spanning infrastructure, improvements in people's livelihoods, political, economic and social development, cultural advancement, ecological progress, high-standard opening up, and high-quality development.

Thanks to sustained social stability and unprecedented economic and social development, Xinjiang has effectively safeguarded the rights to subsistence and development for the people of all ethnic groups, ensuring people fully enjoy their political, economic, social, cultural and environmental rights.

Xinjiang was once one of the poorest regions in China. Thanks to the poverty alleviation campaign, it had lifted 3.06 million rural residents out of poverty by 2020, joining the rest of the country in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

The region's GDP increased from 750 billion yuan (about 105 billion U.S. dollars) in 2012 to 2.05 trillion yuan in 2024, with an annual growth rate of 7 percent at constant prices. The average life expectancy of residents rose from 30 years in 1949 to 77 years in 2024.

Xinjiang's remarkable and comprehensive progress is fundamentally attributed to the strong leadership of the CPC. It is also the result of the paired assistance from across the country, and the hard work of the people of all ethnic groups in the region.

This stands as a testament to the effectiveness of the Party's guidelines on governing Xinjiang in the new era. It also highlights the strengths of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and the system of regional ethnic autonomy.

Today, Xinjiang is enjoying the most prosperous period in its history. In the process of Chinese modernization, people of all ethnic groups are more confident and determined than ever as they work together to build a beautiful Xinjiang that is united, harmonious, prosperous and culturally rich, with healthy ecosystems and a population living and working in contentment. ■