BEIJING: French claims about the imprisonment of ethnic and religious minorities in China's Xinjiang region were unacceptable, Beijing said Wednesday (Jul 22), criticising the accusations as "false".
China's response came a day after Paris demanded it let independent human rights observers visit the northwestern region, where rights groups and experts estimate over one million Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking minorities have been rounded up into a network of internment camps.
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France's foreign affairs minister Jean-Yves le Drian said China's actions were "unacceptable" and said they "condemn them firmly".
Beijing has defended its strategy in Xinjiang as necessary to avoid extremism.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular press briefing on Wednesday that "China has repeatedly responded to and clarified false reports and accusations on Xinjiang-related issues".
He added that Xinjiang issues were not about human rights, religion or ethnicity but about "countering violent terrorism and separatism".
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"About so-called lies that Xinjiang restricts religious freedom and suppresses Muslims… the truth is that recently, some politicians and media in the US and the west have stigmatised Xinjiang's lawful fight against terrorism and extremism," Wang said.
"We firmly Read More – Source
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