BEIJING, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Today's Xinjiang is experiencing the best period of development in its history, according to a white paper issued by the Information Office of the State Council here Friday.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The document said solid steps have been taken to govern Xinjiang in accordance with the law, maintain stability through ethnic unity, strengthen cultural identity and bonds, bring greater prosperity to the region and its people, and develop Xinjiang from a long-term perspective.

"This has contributed to unprecedented economic and social development and significant improvement of people's wellbeing, and brought a greater sense of gain, happiness and security to the people," noted the white paper titled "CPC Guidelines for Governing Xinjiang in the New Era: Practice and Achievements."

Stronger foundations for stability, peace and security have been built in Xinjiang, the document said, adding that a historic transformation from chaos to stability and from stability to good governance has been achieved in the region.

Since 2012, the central government of China has allocated more than 4 trillion yuan (about 562.3 billion U.S. dollars) in transfer payments to Xinjiang, including nearly 543.48 billion yuan in 2024 alone, according to the white paper.

Xinjiang has consciously integrated its regional opening-up strategy into the country's overall plan of opening up to the west, aiming to build a golden channel across the Eurasian continent and a gateway for opening up to the west, said the white paper.

Xinjiang has seen comprehensive improvements in infrastructure, said the white paper, noting that the operating mileage of railways and the highway network totaled 9,202 km and 230,000 km, respectively, as of 2024, and the number of civil air routes reached 595, of which 25 are international routes.

Leveraging its natural resources and industrial capabilities, Xinjiang has accelerated efforts to develop a modern industrial system with its own unique advantages. The white paper mentioned that Xinjiang has been China's top cotton producer for 32 consecutive years, with the mechanization rate in plowing, planting, and harvesting reaching 97 percent.

The document also pointed out that Xinjiang continues to improve its policies on promoting public health and has significantly increased its protection of people's health.

"The average life expectancy of residents in Xinjiang rose from 30 years in 1949 to 77 years in 2024," it said.

Xinjiang respects and protects ethnic minorities' right to learn and use their own spoken and written languages, the white paper said, adding that the region administers religious affairs in accordance with the law, allows religious groups to manage their own affairs independently, and guides religions to be compatible with socialist society.

Xinjiang has improved its comprehensive preservation of cultural heritage. The document said that Xinjiang has formulated plans for the protection of regional cultural heritage, and released local regulations to strengthen legal guarantees for preserving cultural heritage.

The white paper also noted the battle against desertification on the fringes of the Taklimakan Desert in the region has been stepped up, with the desert now entirely encircled with a sand-blocking green belt stretching 3,046 km -- the longest in the world.