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China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls Uygur repression claims ‘lies’
- During the Munich Security Conference, Wang Yi firmly rejected international concerns and accusations of Beijing’s repressive treatment of its Uygur minority
- Hundreds of thousands of Muslim Uygurs have been put into re-education camps, according to human rights activists, citing reports of torture and abuse
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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi firmly rejected international concerns and accusations about Beijing’s repressive treatment of its Uygur minority in comments made to the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
China has come under fire from Western nations for the way it has treated the largely Muslim ethnic group in the province of Xinjiang.
Wang said there had “never” been systematic forced labour or re-education camps in Xinjiang.
“These are lies that have been fabricated and spread as disinformation,” said Wang, addressing the conference by video link.
“You can believe me that the Chinese government is telling the truth here, you can trust our publications here,” he said.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslim Uygurs have been put into re-education camps in Xinjiang, according to human rights activists, citing reports of torture, abuse and ideological indoctrination.
Uygurs who have fled the Xinjiang region abroad allege that people are sometimes rounded up on the street and sent to detention camps – dubbed re-education centres – where they are taught to stop any behaviour associated with Uygur culture.
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