Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, June 18: The Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress issued a statement on the 18th regarding the signing of the so-called "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020" by the United States. The full text of the statement is as follows:
On June 17, local time, the US side signed the so-called "2020 Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act" in spite of China's solemn representations. This act grossly interfered in China's internal affairs and seriously violated international law and basic norms of international relations. The National People's Congress of China strongly condemned this and expressed its firm opposition.
Respecting and protecting human rights is an important principle of the Chinese Constitution and an important goal for China to fully build a well-off society. From 1990 to the end of 2016, thousands of terrorist attacks occurred in Xinjiang, resulting in a large number of innocent casualties and property losses. China has adopted a series of counter-terrorism and de-radicalization measures, including the establishment of a vocational skills education and training center, which complies with Chinese laws and the common expectations of the international community for counter-terrorism. There have been no terrorist attacks in Xinjiang for more than three consecutive years, which guarantees the right to life of the 25 million people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang to the greatest extent. .
The Xinjiang-related issue is not a question of human rights, ethnicity or religion at all, but an issue of counter-terrorism and de-extremism. The United States is also a victim of terrorism, and China should support the anti-terrorism measures taken by China. However, the United States, in the name of so-called human rights, maliciously attacked China's anti-terrorism and de-radicalization efforts in an attempt to undermine the excellent situation of Xinjiang's stable development. This is a typical double standard on the issue of counter-terrorism.
Xinjiang's affairs are China's internal affairs, and no outside forces have the right to interfere. China's determination to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests is unwavering. We urge the US to immediately stop its interference in China’s internal affairs and stop wrong practices that seriously damage Sino-US relations.