Letter from group says diplomats ‘deeply troubled’ by events in XinjiangChinese Foreign Ministry says ‘biased attempts to interfere’ are unwelcome
Western ambassadors in Beijing want to meet the senior official of China’s predominantly Muslim Xinjiang region for an explanation of alleged human rights abuses against ethnic Uygurs.
The 15 envoys – led by Canada – made their request in a letter to Chen Quanguo, Xinjiang’s Communist Party leader.
The move is an unusually broad, coordinated action by a group of countries over a human rights issue in China, and illustrates the pressure being brought to bear on Beijing over its policies in the western region.
Beijing has been criticised by campaigners, academics, governments and United Nations human rights experts over mass detentions and strict surveillance of the mostly Muslim Uygur minority and other Muslim groups who call Xinjiang home.
In August, a UN human rights panel said it had received what it called many credible reports that a million or more Uygurs in China are being held in what resembles a “massive internment camp that is shrouded in secrecy”.
China says it is not enforcing arbitrary detention and political re-education, but rather some citizens guilty of minor offences were being sent to vocational centres to provide employment.
Beijing is angered by criticism of its human rights situation, espousing a policy of non-interference in the affairs of other countries. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday the world should ignore “gossip” about Xinjiang and trust authorities there.
It was not clear if the envoys’ letter had been sent or if its contents could be revised. One diplomatic source said it was being circulated with a view to gaining more signatures.
Several other diplomats familiar with the letter would only confirm its existence and refused to discuss it further, citing its sensitivity. All of the diplomats declined to be identified.
Many foreign governments have refrained from speaking out over the Xinjiang situation, with diplomats saying countries are fearful of angering China, an increasingly weighty diplomatic player thanks to its economic clout.
In the draft letter addressed directly to Chen, who outranks the region’s ethnic Uygur governor Shohrat Zakir, the ambassadors said they were very concerned by the UN findings on Xinjiang.
