Q: On 1 September, The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of Australian Government released a Ministerial statement on human rights in Xinjiang, which expressed deep concern about the findings of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ report on Xinjiang and stated that Australia has consistently condemned human rights violations against the Uyghurs and other ethnic and Muslim minorities in Xinjiang and across China. What is the comment of the Chinese Embassy? 

A: The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released recently the so-called assessment of human rights concerns in the Xinjiang Uyghurs Autonomous Region of China which was drafted by OHCHR with neither the approval from the Chinese government nor the authorization from the UN Human Rights Council.This so-called assessment is orchestrated and produced by the US and some Western forces and is completely illegal, null and void and without any credibility. It is a patchwork of disinformation that serves as a political tool for the US and some Western forces to strategically use Xinjiang to contain China and is greatly at odds with High Commissioner’s statement after her official visit to China this May. The OHCHR’s so-called assessment seriously violates the mandate of the OHCHR and the principles of universality, objectivity, non-selectivity and non-politicization. The fact that this assessment, despite its illegality and zero credibility, did not go so far as to play up false allegations such as “genocide”, “forced labor”, “religious oppression” and “forced sterilization” shows that the lies of the century concocted by the US and some Western forces have already collapsed. 

Of all people, the people in Xinjiang, whatever their ethnic backgrounds, are in the best position to tell the world what the human rights conditions are like in Xinjiang. In recent years, Xinjiang has enjoyed sustained economic growth, social harmony and stability, better living standards, cultures thriving like never before, and freedom of religious beliefs and religious harmony. More than 60 countries who care about truth and justice have sent a co-signed letter to the High Commissioner to express their opposition to the release of this untrue assessment. Nearly 1,000 non-governmental organizations from across the world and people from various walks of life in Xinjiang have written to the High Commissioner to express their opposition. The US and some Western forces seek to destabilize Xinjiang and use it to contain China. This unjust, pernicious political agenda will not have people’s support and will only end in failure. 

The Ministerial statement of DFAT, without its own investigation and verification, blindly agreed to the assessment which totally based on disinformation, and further made false and unfounded accusations against China. We express our firm opposition to and strong dissatisfaction with it.We hope the Australian side abandon its ideological prejudice and view the great progress and achievement of human rights in Xinjiang in an objective and impartial manner. We hope the Australian side stop practicing double standards on human rights and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs in the name of human rights.We also hope the Australian side could properly deal with bilateral disagreements and differences based on mutual respect and equality, so as not to disrupt and undermine the healthy and stable development of China-Australia relationship.