Beijing, China - Sept 2, 2026 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Books on Xinjiang's history, religion
2. Various of attendees reading books at release ceremony; guest speaking
3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Tian Weijiang, former vice president, Xinjiang Regional Academy of Social Sciences:
"The books cover the real Xinjiang, including its history and its relationship with the rest of China, and the ties between ethnic groups in Xinjiang and the rest of the Chinese nation, as well as the relations between Xinjiang's regional culture and overall Chinese nation's culture."
4. Various of attendees reading books; guest speaking

Two new books on the regional history and religious development of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were released in Beijing on Wednesday, drawing on extensive historical records to refute misconceptions and distortions concerning the far western region of China.

Consisting of seven chapters, one of the two books is on Xinjiang's history. It provides a comprehensive and systematic account of the region's historical development from ancient times to the present.

Also comprising seven chapters, the other book is on Xinjiang's religious development. It systematically traces the evolution of religions in the region from prehistoric times to the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics while documenting the rise and decline of various religions.

The significance of the two books lies in their use of historical evidence to demonstrate that Xinjiang has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times, the ethnic groups in Xinjiang are members of a closely connected Chinese nation, and the cultures of those different ethnic groups form an integral part of Chinese culture, according to the books' editorial team.

"The books cover the real Xinjiang, including its history and its relationship with the rest of China, and the ties between ethnic groups in Xinjiang and the rest of the Chinese nation, as well as the relations between Xinjiang's regional culture and overall Chinese nation's culture," said Tian Weijiang, former vice president of the Xinjiang Regional Academy of Social Sciences.