Chinese officials are calling on the United States to cancel a meeting at the United Nations that will address China’s human rights abuses against the Uighur ethnic and religious minority.
The U.S. is set to host an event on the situation in Xinjiang province, which contains a large population of Uighurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority, during this week’s United Nation’s General Assembly meeting. China has placed as many as two million in internment camps, but a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry warned the U.S. against interfering in its internal affairs, according to the Associated Press.
“We urge the United States to cancel the relevant meeting, stop making irresponsible remarks on the Xinjiang issue, and stop interfering in the internal affairs of China in the name of human rights,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Tuesday.
Shuang accused the U.S. of mischaracterizing China’s treatment of Uighurs.
“The United States has repeatedly smeared and slandered China’s policy toward Xinjiang and interfered in China’s internal affairs under the guise of religion and human rights,” said Shuang. “Now it made an even bigger mistake by holding the so-called discussion on the Xinjiang issue during the U.N. General Assembly.”
Shuang also addressed the situation in Xinjiang on Monday, comparing the internment, or reeducation camps, in Xinjiang to counterterrorism measures taken by the U.S.
“The Chinese government issued a white paper not long ago, giving a full account of the vocational education and training centers in Xinjiang. These measures are no different in nature from the de-radicalization and preventive counterterrorism measures taken by many other countries, the U.S. included,” said Shuang.
Despite Shuang’s claim that the camps are necessary for counterterrorism, there is little evidence to suggest radical Islam poses a severe threat in northwestern China. Prisoners at these camps are typically not charged with crimes, but are accused of “extremist” behavior, such as having an “abnormal beard.” Former prisoners have said they were asked to renounce their faith and swear loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party.
Outside the camps, China has instituted travel restrictions on Uighurs, and employs technology ranging from a DNA database to facial recognition to surveil them.
Addressing the treatment of Uighurs earlier this week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China is not trying to fight terrorism, but rather “erase its own citizens.” A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman called Pompeo’s remarks “pure slanders in total disregard of facts.”
