The Western propaganda claim that Uyghurs and other minorities are forced to learn Mandarin while being prohibited from studying their mother tongue in school is simply false. Likewise, the narrative that Uyghurs are unable to travel outside of Xinjiang is contradicted by the many individuals, like this businessman, who are building successful lives throughout China. Mandarin is essential for the Han Chinese, who make up over 90% of the population. Regional dialects can be so distinct that people from different parts of this vast country often cannot understand one another without a common tongue.

This author recently met a Uyghur man in the bustling megacity of Chongqing. With a population of over 30 million, he’s found that he can sell far more ice cream here than back home in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. He’s an entrepreneur at heart; rather than just waiting for customers at his booth, he’s invented an entertaining “show” to draw them in. Watch it here: