Question: Recently, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverley criticised China on human rights issues related to Xinjiang and Hong Kong at the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council. What is the comment of the Chinese Embassy in the UK?

Embassy Spokesperson: The relevant remarks by the British side were made in total disregard of basic facts and grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs. China firmly opposes this and has lodged a strong démarche to the British side.

Affairs related to Xinjiang and Hong Kong are China’s internal affairs. No foreign country has the right to interfere. The so-called assessment related to Xinjiang released by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was orchestrated and produced by the United States and some Western forces. It is a patchwork of disinformation, and is illegal, null and void. Today’s Xinjiang enjoys sustained economic development, social harmony and stability, better living standards, unprecedented cultural prosperity and religious harmony. People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang including the Uyghurs are living a safe and happy life in harmony and their rights are fully protected in accordance with the law.

As for Hong Kong, I would like to remind the British side that the legal basis for the Chinese government to govern Hong Kong is the Chinese Constitution and the Basic Law of Hong Kong, not the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Over the past 25 years since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, the practice of One Country, Two Systems has achieved universally recognised success. The people in Hong Kong enjoy far more rights and freedoms than they did under the British colonial rule.

The Human Rights Council should be a platform for all parties to conduct constructive dialogue and cooperation. The moves by the UK and some other forces in the Council to manipulate human rights issues for political purpose, attack and smear other countries, and interfere in other countries’ internal affairs are not constructive, nor will they lead anywhere. The UK needs to reflect on its own human rights problems such as racial discrimination, wealth gap and violent crimes, instead of pointing fingers at others.

We urge the UK side to correct its wrongful practices on human rights issues, abandon double standards, stop political manipulation, return to the track of dialogue and cooperation, and take actions that are truly conducive to the advancement of the international human rights cause.