URUMQI -- "It feels so familiar," said Mohammadmahdi Tinaitehrani, deputy secretary for International Affairs of the Islamic Party of Iran, as he wandered through alleys in the ancient city of Kashgar in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

"The architecture, food, language and dance here bear a lot of similarities to my hometown," he added. "To preserve the unique features of ethnic architecture so authentically is an achievement in itself."

Tinaitehrani is a member of a visiting delegation of nearly 200 political party representatives who participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization political parties forum last Wednesday and Thursday in Xinjiang's capital city of Urumqi. They toured Xinjiang after the forum.

From the rich cultural heritage of traditional villages and awe-inspiring natural landscapes to state-of-the-art factories and universities, the delegates explored a full spectrum of China's high-quality development and governance approach in this region -- a vivid snapshot of the nation's modernization journey.

"Hats off to everyone who has contributed to the development of the village," said Faiza Mir, an assistant professor in the Department of International Relations, University of Balochistan in Pakistan, as she marveled at the exquisite traditional musical instruments made in Jiayi village of Aksu prefecture in Xinjiang.

Famed for its handcrafted traditional musical instruments, the village has become a celebrated gem and is affectionately known as the "Village of Ethereal Music."

"This remote village has managed to revitalize itself through the production of musical instruments, music and dance performances, and has turned itself into a popular tourist destination," said Mir.

"I would not have imagined that a university nearly 4,000 kilometers away from the country's capital could be so modern," said Osamah Alabdulrahem, secretary-general of the Kuwaiti Progressive Movement, during a visit to Kashi University. "The most remarkable aspect of Chinese modernization is its ability to bring development to every corner of the country," he added.

"China's development is not the privilege of a few -- but a development for all the people and one that is balanced," said Ganesan Devarajan, general secretary of the All India Forward Bloc.

The modern production line of a local agricultural technology company in Kashgar left a deep impression on Mohamed Abohemila, secretary general of the Republican People's Party of Egypt and parliamentary leader of the Republican People's Party in the Egyptian House of Representatives.

Kashgar's innovative vitality testifies to China's path of high-quality development, with breakthroughs being achieved across almost all sectors, he said.

SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev, who is from Kazakhstan, shared similar sentiments, noting the tangible improvements in local living standards.

Yermekbayev told Xinhua that the year 2025 has been declared "The Year of SCO Sustainable Development" and that the organization will carry out activities in fields such as poverty alleviation, green development and industrialization. He expressed hope that China's Xinjiang could serve as a hub for exchanges and mutual learning among SCO member states.

"China's achievements in clean and green energy are truly impressive," said Irfan Ashraf, a journalist from Pakistan's Samaa TV, after he learned about Xinjiang's efforts to harness its abundant solar energy resources for hydrogen production.

"Under the Belt and Road Initiative, China has enhanced connectivity with over 100 countries, bringing benefits to people around the world," he said. "We should work together to achieve regional prosperity and jointly resist the forces that seek to reverse global progress."