BEIJING: China has rejected Turkey’s accusation of its treatment of UygurMuslims in China’s southwestern Xinjiang region.
“I have noticed the statement by Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson. Itis abominable,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told apress briefing on Monday.
The Turkish foreign ministry spokesperson had claimed that famous Uygurmusician Abdurehim Heyit died a year after he was taken into custody.
“In fact, he is alive and healthy. I saw his video on the internet justyesterday,” Hua said. “Turkey’s statement is based on an absurd lie. Such amove of making groundless accusation against China is extremely wrong andirresponsible. We express firm opposition to this,” she said, adding thatthe Chinese embassy in Turkey had already responded to the statement andChina lodged a “solemn representation” on Turkey over the issue.
Chunying said that since the 1990s, the “three evil forces” (terrorism,extremism and separatism) in China and abroad have plotted, organised andconducted thousands of violent terrorist attacks in Xinjiang, causingmassive casualties and injuries of innocent people of various ethnic groups.
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Xinjiang’s efforts in countering terrorism and extremism based oninternational anti-terrorism experience in recent years have made obviousprogress and people in Xinjiang are satisfied with their lives and feelingmore secure, the spokesperson added.
According to the spokesperson, ambassadors, diplomats and journalists froma dozen of countries including Turkey visited many places includingvocational training centers in Xinjiang since the end of 2018 and theirunderstanding of Xinjiang was increased via the visits.
