Question: In an open letter, MPs will be urged to campaign for the UK TO push for an independent United Nations investigation into alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang. What is the comment of the Chinese Embassy in the UK?

Embassy Spokesperson: The contents of the letter is sheer rumor and smear. We strongly deplore and oppose it.

The Chinese Embassy would like to reiterate that the issue concerning Xinjiang is by no means about human rights, religion or ethnicity, but about combating violent terrorism and separatism. The truth is that recently some politicians and media in the United States and the West have stigmatized and distorted the lawful anti-terrorism and anti-extremism efforts in Xinjiang by claiming that they are “restriction of freedom of religious belief and oppression against Muslims”. Lies have been made up about “imprisonment and persecution of religious figures”.

In Xinjiang, the well-being of all ethnic groups is regarded as the cornerstone of lasting social stability. In this region, China's ethnic policy based on equality between all ethnic groups is faithfully upheld. Efforts are made to promote the unity of all ethnic groups and their common prosperity and development.

The government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region fully protects the customs and habits of all ethnic groups, including diets, festivals, weddings and funerals, rights to use and develop ethnic languages both spoken and written, and protection and inheritance of fine ethnic traditions and culture. Members of ethnic minorities are encouraged to run for public offices, and the rights of people of all ethnic groups to participate in the management of state affairs on an equal footing and to independently manage the affairs of their own ethnic groups in their respective regions are guaranteed.

China's religious policy conforms to China's national conditions and the reality in Xinjiang's, and the constitutional principle of freedom of religious belief has been fully implemented in Xinjiang. The government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region protects the freedom of religious belief of people of all ethnic groups in accordance with law and it is entirely up to the citizens to choose whether they believe in a religion or not. Public services in places of worship have been under continuous improvement. The China Islamic Institute and its eight branches have been set up to preserve Islamic tradition, provide training, and translate and publish religious classics in Chinese, Uyghur, Kazak and Kirgiz languages.

Chinese people are hospitable, and Xinjiang's door is open to the world. We always hold an open attitude on UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet visiting China and Xinjiang, and we welcome her visit at an appropriate time. In fact, since the end of 2018, more than 1,000 international organizations officials, foreign government officials, diplomats stationed in China, media personnel and scholars have visited Xinjiang in over 70 groups. We welcome unbiased, equal-footed and friendly dialogue and communication, but we oppose foreign interference under the pretext of "international evaluation".

China upholds ethnic equality and unity within its border, and promotes progress in human rights in the world. We hope that China’s ethnic and religious policies and human rights progress in China will be seen, understood and appreciated in an objective and fair manner.