Pepe Escobar Travels Silk Road with Carl Zha | Nov. 3, 2025

Source: Carl Zha youtube



Description:
Carl Zha has an incredible conversation with legendary journalist Pepe Escobar, fresh off the road from a groundbreaking trip across China's Xinjiang region. We traveled the modern Silk Road, from the high-tech capital of Urumqi to the ancient oasis of Kashgar, and what we witnessed completely shatters the Western media narrative.

In this episode, Pepe contrasts his travels in Xinjiang from 25 years ago with the reality on the ground today. We discuss the mind-boggling modernization, the seamless integration of ethnic groups, the truth behind the "redevelopment" of Kashgar's old city, and the shocking scale of the Belt and Road Initiative's infrastructure. This is a firsthand, on-the-ground account you won't get anywhere else.

TIMESTAMPS: Key Topics Discussed

(00:00) - Introduction to Pepe Escobar, the "OG" Foreign Correspondent
(01:45) - Pepe's Career: From Asia Times to Being Smeared as a "CCP Agent"
(06:50) - The Mission: Documenting the New Silk Road in Xinjiang
(08:45) - First Impressions: The "Enormous Shock" of Modern Xinjiang
(11:30) - The Karakoram Highway & China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
(13:45) - Crossing the Taklamakan Desert: A Modern Engineering Marvel
(16:10) - The Reality of Kashgar: From Segregated City to Integrated Hub
(19:30) - An Emotional Moment: Showing Locals Footage of Their City from 1998
(22:45) - People-to-People Exchange: Han Chinese, Uyghurs, and Others Living & Working Together
(25:15) - The Tourism Boom: Driven Domestically, Missing Westerners Due to "Demonization"
(29:00) - On the Ground Security: Facial Recognition, Polite Police, and the Real Story
(33:45) - The Upcoming Documentary: A "Multipolar" BRICS Production
(37:20) - Plans for Part 2: Focusing on Northern Xinjiang and Central Asian Borders
(41:50) - Xinjiang as a High-Tech & Green Energy Hub
(47:10) - The Power of Long-Term Planning: 5-Year Plans vs. Western Short-Termism
(52:30) - The "Asian Century" is Already Here: The Vibe of Development vs. Western Decline
(58:00) - China's Offer to the Global South vs. The Washington Consensus
(01:01:30) - How to Follow Pepe Escobar's Work

The China You've NEVER Seen: Pepe Escobar's Xinjiang Journey Will Stun You | Oct. 9, 2025

Source: Counter Currents youtube



Description:
They told you one story about Xinjiang. Pepe Escobar went to see for himself. What he found was not oppression, but an economic and technological boom that will leave you speechless.

In this latest episode of Counter Currents, Pepe takes us on a journey across China's new Silk Road, revealing:

• The truth about development and life in Xinjiang.
How China built a highway with Wi-Fi across a deadly desert.
• Why Chinese brands are now BETTER than Western ones.
• The end of American dominance and the rise of a new world.
Forget everything you think you know. Watch to see the real China.

Timeline:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Pepe Escobar’s Trip to China
00:01:19 - Journey Planning and Reflections
00:02:44 - Xi Jinping's Influence and Modernization
00:03:05 - Tianjin Summit and Major Events
00:05:07 - Silk Road Journey Begins in Xi'an
00:06:20 - China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
00:10:18 - Exploration of Xinjiang’s Silk Road
00:11:06 - Modernization in Remote Areas of Xinjiang
00:13:56 - Crossing the Taklamakan Desert
00:15:05 - Lost Tribe of the Taklamakan and Uyghur Life
00:17:15 - Modernization and Infrastructure in Xinjiang
00:27:11 - Energy Hub of China
00:29:31 - Economic Transformation of China and Belt and Road
00:48:28 - Chinese Meritocracy and Central Planning
00:51:21 - Technology Leadership and National Development
00:56:17 - Decline of Western Influence
00:59:16 - The Future of Global Relations
01:02:34 - Final Thoughts on China's Development and US Relations