China says Xinjiang human rights issue is political manipulation

UN Human Rights Council Xinjiang Debate Rejection Results from Strong Opposition by Many Developing Countries
US Interference to Damage China's National Image and Suppress Development

[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Cho Young-shin] On the 7th, Chinese authorities stated that the rejection of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council's discussion on human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was the result of political manipulation by the United States and some Western countries. Xinjiang Autonomous Region is home to 11 million Muslim ethnic minority Uygurs.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The UN Human Rights Council (comprising 47 member states) held a vote on the 6th (local time) on whether to hold a discussion on allegations of human rights violations in Xinjiang. The result was 17 countries in favor, 19 against, and 11 abstentions, leading to the proposal's rejection.

Following the vote, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately claimed that the United States and some Western countries have long and repeatedly spread false rumors to damage China's national image and suppress China's development, asserting that the Xinjiang human rights issue is politically manipulated. They explained that some Western countries, led by the United States, are attempting to interfere in China's internal affairs by using UN human rights organizations, but many developing countries strongly opposed this.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that the core issue regarding Xinjiang is not human rights but anti-terrorism and anti-separatism (independence). They emphasized that, thanks to the efforts of Chinese authorities, no violent terrorism has occurred in Xinjiang over the past five years.

Furthermore, the Chinese government stated that it is protecting the human rights of all ethnic groups within the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to the greatest extent possible, and reiterated that China is well aware of the malicious plans by the United States and some Western countries to use Xinjiang to suppress China. They added that the rejection of the UN Xinjiang discussion means that attempts to oppress and contain China have failed.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also repeatedly claimed that serious human rights violations such as racial discrimination and refugee rights infringements are occurring in some Western countries including the United States and the United Kingdom. The Ministry condemned these countries, stating that they must explain the numerous casualties caused by gun incidents and military operations.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recently released a report revealing human rights violations in detention facilities within the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Although the report took over three years to prepare, it was not published until August 31, the last day of former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's term, when it was suddenly released.

The report pointed out that the Chinese government has committed human rights violations such as detention, torture, and abuse against ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. International human rights organizations have also criticized that approximately one million Uygurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities are detained in re-education camps where harsh human rights oppression occurs.

In response, China countered that the contents of the report are false and that the detention facilities are re-education centers providing vocational training for Uygurs and others.

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