Question: What was achieved during UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet's visit to Xinjiang?
Spokesperson: At the invitation of the Chinese government, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet visited China from 23 to 28 May. This was a trip that enhanced understanding and cooperation, and presented facts and the truth.
During this visit, High Commissioner Bachelet went to Guangzhou and Xinjiang, where she broadened and deepened her understanding of China’s path of human rights development through meetings, talks, conversations and field trips. When in Xinjiang, High Commissioner Bachelet visited the Kashgar Ancient Town, and cotton fields whereshe experiencedfirst-hand the progress Xinjiang has made in preserving and promoting ethnic minority traditions and culture and in improving people’s livelihood. She learnt in detail the legal and policy frameworks, practice, and results of counter-terrorism and deradicalisation in Xinjiang, and had face-to-face conversations with religious personnel on respect for and protection of the right of religious freedom of Muslims in accordance with the law. In addition, the High Commissioner had the opportunity to hear from representatives from different social sectors, including women and workers. She has seen with her own eyes the real Xinjiang that enjoys sound and sustained development, social security and stability, and the people there living a peaceful and happy life.
The Chinese side gave a comprehensive briefing to Ms Bachelet on China’s active engagement in global human rights governance. As of today, China has signed 29 international human rights instruments and, having been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council five times, is one of the longest- serving of all members. Chinahas also put forward a series of proposals on promoting human rights through development and cooperation andon rejecting racism and racial discrimination. These proposals have received wide support and have been echoed by the international community, especially the developing countries.
The Chinese side and the HighCommissioner had thorough exchanges of views on deepening cooperation and agreed to establish an Annual Senior Strategic Meeting and a working group to facilitate human rights cooperation in such areas as development, poverty reduction and counter-terrorism. The Chinese side expressedits readiness to provide greater support to the human rights work of the United Nations.
It should be pointed out that High Commissioner Bachelet’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.
For a period of time, certain Western countries and anti-China forces, under the pretext of protecting human rights, have fabricated many sensational lies on the so-called Xinjiang-related issues, only to serve their political motive of using Xinjiang to contain China. We believe that people who have visited Xinjiang like the High Commissioner will come to objective and fair conclusion.
In terms of human rights protection, no one can claim perfection and there is always room for improvement. China will unswervingly follow the human rights development path that suits its national conditions. China is ready to cooperate with the OHCHR and other sides on the basis of equity and mutual respect and work together for the sound development of human rights across the world in an effort to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
