Evolving views
Following Ross, generations of young people from around the world have come to China, not just as observers but as researchers and activists. In this era of rapid development, they are crafting diverse stories about what it means to "study in China", both inside classrooms and across the country's vast landscape.
One of them is 24-year-old US student Austin Hicks. Majoring in Marxist political economy, he came to China to test theory against practice.
While studying at East China Normal University, his academic focus gradually expanded beyond textbooks and lectures to include China's diverse regions and development paths.
He was particularly interested in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, which he had long followed through reading and research. In December 2025, he finally visited the region. There, he observed a thriving cultural industry, supported by sustained investment, especially in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative.
As he traveled through Xinjiang, he found these developments were evident in everyday life. He saw Uygur dances on street corners, with signs written in the Uygur language. He watched Uygur TV shows, attended theater productions, and dined at Uygur restaurants where he interacted with local musicians and artists.
"That was the most beautiful thing to see about socialist modernization," Hicks said. "It doesn't just impact the economic dimensions of people's lives, but also their cultural expressions."
Even more touching than these broader observations were the personal connections he made along the way. One evening in Turpan, Hicks came across a group of children playing basketball. He joined their game, and afterward they launched into a long, friendly conversation.
"They asked me questions about the US, and I asked them about their lives in Xinjiang. It was the most wholesome experience ever. It was hard to walk back to the hotel because they wanted to keep the conversation going, but I was ready to sleep," he recalled with a laugh.
Hicks plans to write an article about his experiences in Xinjiang for readers in what he broadly calls "the West" — "all the countries outside of China that hear these lies about China."
"This is not a political project. I'm just reporting on what's happening," he said. "I want people to understand that you can find all of this out for yourself."
In the future, Hicks hopes to visit the Xizang autonomous region and rural areas across China to learn more about rural revitalization efforts and the country's rural cooperative medical system.
