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Andy Wong / AP
A Uighur boy plays alone in the backyard of a house in Unity New Village in Hotan, in China’s Xinjiang region.
New Zealand joined 38 other countries in issuing a strong statement criticizing China for Xinjiang and Hong Kong, earning an immediate reprimand from our largest trading partner.
A statement to the United Nations expressed grave concern about Xinjiang – where at least one million Uighur Muslims are alleged to be held in “re-education” camps – and the National Security Law in Hong Kong, which allows Hong Kong’s extradition to the mainland. China.
The message called on China to allow “immediate, meaningful and unrestricted access to Xinjiang” for a UN observer and also criticized China for long-standing concerns about human rights abuses in Tibet.
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The statement was made by German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen on behalf of the 39 countries, which also included Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan.
China’s representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, immediately refuted the statement, attacking the United States in particular for its death toll from Covid-19 and its treatment of African Americans.
“I would like to say to the United States: blaming China cannot cover up its poor human rights record,” Zhang said.
“Before accusing others, the United States had better take a good look in the mirror. In fact, it is the United States that should work to protect the basic rights of its people. More than 200,000 Americans have lost their lives to Covid-19.
“China’s achievements in the development of human rights are widely recognized and its lies and deceptions should not deny them.”
He accused the other countries that joined the communiqué of becoming “accomplices” of the United States and of “selective blindness.”
“Faced with the poor human rights record of themselves and the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and some other countries chose to engage in selective blindness and double standards, willingly follow the United States and become its accomplices. It is total hypocrisy, ”Zhang said.
But Dr David Capie of the University of Victoria, director of the Center for Strategic Studies, said New Zealand would be pleased if the declaration had been co-signed by a wider group of countries than some of the above.
“At a time when relations between Australia and China or between the United States and China are in a really difficult place, it is taken out of that confrontational context,” Capie said.
“It is a vision shared by a wide range of countries, not just those who have a confrontational stance towards China.”
He said this statement was unlikely to result in retaliation outside of Zhang’s statement.
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China’s government says Uighur Muslims are staying in “job training” centers to learn Mandarin, law and other skills.
A spokeswoman for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said New Zealand remains committed to UN human rights mechanisms and concerned about China.
“We have consistently spoken about our concerns regarding Xinjiang and the national security legislation in Hong Kong at the Human Rights Council in 2019 and June this year, as well as at the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly in 2019.” , He said.
“We remain concerned by reports that the situations on the ground in Xinjiang and Hong Kong have not improved. We will continue to raise our concerns directly with China, at all levels. We use these opportunities to explain the importance New Zealand attaches to human rights standards. “
National Party foreign affairs spokesman Simon Bridges said National supported the statement.
“It is important that New Zealand join with other like-minded countries and uphold our shared values.”
Comments have been requested from the Chinese embassy in Wellington.
