A Chinese documentary about the real lives of two cotton-growing families in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region premiered on Tuesday, portraying their everyday challenges and triumphs in Awati County.
The premier of the documentary Fabric of Lives took place outdoors against the backdrop of cotton fields in Awati, where the two featured local families in the documentary, Zhang Qiang and Arkin, have toiled for decades.
"For me, the most important thing about taking part in this film is to show people that this is our real life and our real emotions. I get emotional when I watch it now, and I'm sure when I watch it again," said Barna Arkin, the daughter of the Arkin Family.
Her father, a stoic farmer, also expressed gratitude for the shared moments with the crew.
"The film crew went through great ordeals to shoot this film here for three years," said Arkin Talip.
Scheduled for screening on Wednesday, the documentary took genuine efforts to complete, and it is not a scripted narrative but rather a genuine attempt to capture the daily lives of the local people, according to the filmmakers.
"We didn't come to tell a 'story.' We came to discover and listen to what their life was like. What we learned was a different way of living, and though we often didn't speak the same language, by the time we finished filming, we had a heart-to-heart connection," said Liu Guoyi, the documentary's director.
The film emphasizes the power of real-life stories, woven together not by scriptwriters but by the resilience and positive attitude of the people themselves.
"When I saw the film for the first time, it moved me too, to see these families who have been writing this 'script' with their calluses for generations. But they also have a very upbeat attitude about life—after a long day of work and dinner, they would get up dance and sing," said Liu Yang, the film's producer.
Documentary shows real cotton-growing families in China's Xinjiang
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday that the red line on protecting civilians in conflicts must not be crossed.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a phone conversation with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Abdullah briefed Wang on the regional situation and the UAE's position, saying the country is not a party to the war, has not participated in the current conflict, and should not be subjected to illegal attacks.
He expressed appreciation for China's consistent objective and impartial stance, adding that the UAE expects China to continue to play an active and important role in the current grave circumstances to prevent further escalation of regional tensions.
The UAE will continue to take measures to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions in the country, Abdullah said.
For his part, Wang reiterated China's principled position on the current situation in Iran, noting that the spillover of war serves no one's interests and that the people of the region would be the ones to suffer.
He stressed that non-military targets related to energy, economy and people's livelihoods should not be attacked, and that the security of shipping routes must be safeguarded.
Wang noted that the UAE had worked for peace even before the conflict broke out, and that a recent foreign ministers' meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council emphasized that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way to overcome the current crisis and safeguard regional security, which China appreciates.
China backs the UAE's legitimate demands to safeguard its national security and supports countries in the region in their continued efforts to resolve disputes through diplomatic means, Wang said.
China will not give up hope for peace and will continue to play a constructive role, Wang said, adding that China will send its special envoy on the Middle East issue to the region to conduct mediation efforts to help bring the region back to peace and stability.
Wang also expressed hope that the UAE will continue to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the country.
Chinese FM says red line on protecting civilians in conflict must not be crossed
