The rebranding of Xinjiang

Xinjiang Province, on China's Western frontier – origin of the Silk Road, the ancient gateway for trade to the Middle East – was off-limits during the pandemic. But it is open again, and these days it's being marketed by the state both for its beauty and its business opportunities.

CBS News recently joined a tour arranged by the Chinese Information Office, which hired the buses, set the itinerary, and provided the translators and the staff who have accompanied us every step of the way. They showed us everything from agricultural machinery to ancient ruins, to e-sales of local plums on TikTok.

What we didn't see was evidence of the detention centers and prisons that turned Xinjiang into an international scandal.