A senior Chinese diplomat on Monday urged some Western countries to immediately stop interfering in other countries' internal affairs under the pretext of human rights, and work truly for the protection of human rights.
"The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and some EU countries, abusing the platform of the Human Rights Council, spread misinformation and made groundless accusations against China," said Ambassador Chen Xu, head of the Chinese Mission to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
China firmly opposes and categorically rejects their accusations, Chen said at the ongoing 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council while exercising the right of reply. "Putting people at the center, China has made remarkable achievements in the field of human rights."
As for the issues related to China's Xinjiang, Chen said that today, Xinjiang enjoys prosperity and stability, and people there are leading a safe and happy life.
In the past 60-plus years, Chen said, Xinjiang's economy has grown by more than 200 times, and the average life expectancy and Uygur population both doubled.
"It can't be more absurd to pin the 'genocide' label on China, and this attempt will not go anywhere," the ambassador said.
Chen also rejected the accusations on the Hong Kong-related issues, saying that the Hong Kong affairs are entirely China's internal affairs which brook no external interference.
Since the national security law came into force, Hong Kong has embarked on a transition from chaos to order and peace, and the legitimate rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents are better exercised in a safer environment, he said.
The diplomat added that the decision of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress, on improving the electoral system of Hong Kong ensures the implementation of the principles of "patriots governing Hong Kong" and "one country, two systems," and guarantees the long-term stability of Hong Kong.
"China welcomes the visit of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to China, including Xinjiang. The two sides are in communication on this matter," Chen told the council, adding this will be a friendly visit rather than a so-called "investigation."
"We firmly oppose anyone using this matter for political manipulation and exerting pressure on China," he said.
Chen also said that China has extended invitation to EU diplomats to visit Xinjiang on a number of occasions, but they have so far shied away on various excuses, which makes one suspect that they only attempt to manipulate Xinjiang-related issues for political purposes.
"While indulging in making groundless accusations against China and other developing countries, these countries choose to turn a blind eye to the serious human rights problems of their own and their allies," Chen pointed out.
Some Western countries have many worry-worthy human rights problems, according to the ambassador.
He pointed out that facing the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States failed to take effective measures to control the pandemic, resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, while U.S. politicians are passing the buck and shifting the blame.
Meanwhile, the diplomat mentioned that credible reports have shown that Australian soldiers have committed serious war crimes, citing reports that innocent civilians, including children, were killed by Australian overseas military personnel.
"China urges these countries to immediately halt infringing upon the human rights of its own people and people of other countries, stop interfering in other countries' internal affairs under the pretext of human rights, and work truly for the protection of human rights worldwide," he said.
