Question: On May 30th, the spokesperson of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the UK claimed that “the Chinese authorities did not provide the full, unfettered access to Xinjiang for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights”. What is your comment?

Embassy spokesperson: The UK side is once again distorting facts. Its act of making completely groundless and wanton accusation against China and mounting pressure on UN officials is aimed at covering up its real intention of spreading disinformation about Xinjiang. The Chinese side deplores and firmly opposes such act.

During her visit to China from May 23rd to 28th, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has broadened and deepened her understanding of China’s path of human rights development. She also experienced first hand the real Xinjiang that enjoys sound and sustained development with social security and stability, and saw its people living a peaceful and happy life. This is a trip that has enhanced understanding and cooperation, and told the truth about Xinjiang.

The High Commissioner’s activities in China were arranged as she wished and based on full consultation between the two sides. The High Commissioner explicitly said at her press conference that she had unsupervised and extensive meetings during the visit.

By rushing out in collusion with the US to fling slanders on the High Commissioner’s visit to China, the UK side reveals not a sincere concern for human rights conditions but an intention to get the High Commissioner to endorse the lies about Xinjiang. The UK side is in no position and has no right to point fingers at the Chinese Government or the UN officials. What they should do is to reflect seriously on their own large-scale human rights violations, abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter in real earnest, and stop interfering in other countries' internal affairs under any pretext.