China Says "Human Rights Should Not Be Politicized" Regarding Xinjiang Uyghur Issues

Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to Visit Xinjiang Region
First Visit Since 2005

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Gyumin] China stated regarding the Xinjiang Uyghur issue that "international human rights issues should be based on mutual respect and human rights should not be politicized."

According to Global Times on the 24th, Wang Yi, China's State Councilor in charge of foreign affairs and Foreign Minister, said this when he met Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who visited China the previous day.

Minister Wang said, "Multilateral human rights organizations should be a stage for cooperation and dialogue, not a battlefield of division and confrontation," and "China seeks constructive cooperation on human rights issues based on mutual respect and equal treatment." Afterwards, Minister Wang presented Representative Bachelet with a collection of essays titled 'Xi Jinping's Respect and Guarantee of Human Rights.'

Representative Bachelet responded, "Taking this visit as an opportunity, we will enhance mutual understanding and trust and respond equally to global issues," and "Let us jointly promote the development of the world's human rights work."

Representative Bachelet arrived in China the previous day for a six-day schedule, including a visit to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

She will stay in China until the 28th, delivering a lecture at Guangzhou University and visiting Xinjiang regions such as Kashgar and Urumqi, where she plans to meet government officials as well as representatives from civil society organizations and businesses.

Since her appointment in August 2018, Representative Bachelet has continuously requested unrestricted access from the Chinese government to investigate the human rights situation in Xinjiang, but China had refused. It is known that the Chinese government allowed her visit on the condition of a friendly visit rather than an investigative purpose. This visit marks the first time since 2005 that a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has visited Xinjiang.

Xu Guixiang, spokesperson for the Xinjiang Uyghur government, said at a press conference that they are actively cooperating with Representative Bachelet but did not give a clear answer when asked whether they would provide information related to Xinjiang. He added that due to the COVID-19 situation, "Bachelet's visit to Xinjiang will be conducted in a closed manner, and both sides have agreed not to consider visits by journalists."

Meanwhile, international human rights organizations expressed concerns that Representative Bachelet's visit could be exploited for propaganda by the Chinese government. Agnes Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International, said in a statement the previous day, "Representative Bachelet must address serious human rights violations during this visit," and "Her long-delayed visit to Xinjiang is an important opportunity to address human rights abuses in the region and will also be a long-term struggle with the Chinese government, which seeks to conceal the truth."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.