Nearly forty mainly Western countries criticized Chinas treatment of minority groups, especially in Xinjiang & Tibet, on Tuesday & expressed grave concern at the impact of its new national security law on human rights in Hong Kong.
The US, many European countries, Japan & others called on China to allow unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers including U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, & to urgently refrain from detaining Uighurs & members of other minorities.
The 39 nations also urged China in a joint statement read at a meeting of the General Assembly's human rights committee, to uphold autonomy, rights & freedoms in Hong Kong, & to respect the independence of the Hong Kong judiciary.
Their statement, read by Germanys U.N. Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, was immediately followed by a statement from Pakistan on behalf of 55 countries opposing interference in Chinas affairs when it comes to Hong Kong. It said the territory is part of China, & the national security law ensures Chinas one country, two systems policy on Hong Kong is enduring.
Cuba followed with a statement on behalf of 45 countries supporting Chinas counter-terrorism & deradicalization measures in Xinjiang. It said measures taken by China in response to threats of terrorism & extremism were carried out within the law to safeguard the human rights of all ethnic groups in the province.
The rival statements spotlight tensions between China & the West over human rights. Those tensions have escalated especially between the US & China, & include other issues including responsibility for the COVID-19 pandemic, trade, & Beijings actions in the South China Sea.
The predominantly Western statement said its 39 signatories shared the concerns expressed by 50 independent U.N. human rights experts in an extraordinary letter in June in which they urged the international community to take all appropriate measures to monitor China & act collectively & decisively to ensure its government respects human rights.
They raised concerns including Beijings treatment of ethnic minorities in Tibet & Xinjiang, allegations of excessive force against protesters, reports of retaliation against people who spoke out about the coronavirus outbreak, & Hong Kongs then proposed new security law.
The 39 nations on Tuesday expressed grave concern about the existence of a large network of `political re-education camps where credible reports indicate that over a million people have been arbitrarily detained in Xinjiang, & increasing reports of gross human rights violations.
There are severe restrictions on freedom of religion or belief & the freedoms of movement, association, & expression as well as on Uighur culture, they said. Widespread surveillance disproportionately continues to target Uighurs & other minorities & more reports are emerging of forced labor & forced birth control including sterilization.
On Hong Kong, the mainly Western nations said they shared concern with another group of U.N. experts that the National Security Law doesnt conform to Chinas legal obligations & allows for certain cases to be transferred for prosecution to the Chinese mainland.
They urged Chinese authorities to guarantee the rights protected by the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights & the Sino-British Joint Declaration which transferred British control of Hong Kong to China, including freedoms of speech, the press & assembly.
China rejected the June statement & has pushed back on any outside interference in Hong Kong.
On Tuesday, Chinas U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun accused the US, Germany & the UK of abusing the UN platform, politicizing human rights issues, provoking political confrontation & insisting on provoking antagonism.
They spread false information & political virus, smear China, & interfere in Chinas internal affairs, he told the human rights committee. China firmly opposes & rejects that.
He lashed out especially at the Trump administration, saying your despicable acts are completely at odds with the trend of history & that blaming China can't cover up your poor human rights records.
He pointed to the more than 200,000 U.S. deaths from COVID-19, racial discrimination & police violence in the U.S., & alleged war crimes calling the US the most belligerent country in the world.
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