China lashes out at Australia - accusing the country of racism and war crimes
China has accused Australia of racism and war crimes after an Australian diplomat expressed concerns about torture and slavery in Xinjiang province.
China has accused Australia of racism and war crimes after an Australian diplomat expressed concerns about torture and slavery in Xinjiang province.
The backlash came after Australian Ambassador James Larsen delivered a joint statement on behalf of 15 countries during a United Nations General Assembly meeting in Pakistan on Tuesday.
The statement urged Beijing to address allegations of human rights abuses and crimes against humanity.
In a strong response on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian called out Australias stance, claiming it was motivated by ideological bias and selfish political interest.
Out of their ideological bias, Australia, the US and a handful of other Western countries stoked confrontation at multilateral platforms for their selfish political interest, he told a press conference.
Australia, long plagued by systemic racism and hate crimes, has severely violated the rights of refugees and immigrants, and left Indigenous people with vulnerable living conditions.
Australian soldiers have committed abhorrent crimes in Afghanistan and other countries during their military operations overseas, Mr Jian said.
The Chinese spokesman then swung the axe at Australias allies.
Chinas foreign ministry spokesman, Lin Jian, claimed Australia is plagued by systemic racism
Australias Ambassador to the UN James Larsen called on China to review human rights abuses
The US and some Western countries have a bad track record in racism, gun violence, judicial injustice, wealth gap, abuse of force, unilateral sanction, and other issues, he said.
These Western countries turn a blind eye to their severe human rights issues at home, but in the meantime point their fingers at other countries.
The United Nations report referenced by Mr Larsen found the treatment of ethnic minorities and Uyghur Muslims in Chinas Xinjian province amounted to crimes against humanity in a report released two years ago.
The report, released two years ago, detailed accounts of torture, weaponised rape and sexual violence, mass detention, slave labour and widespread surveillance in Xinjiang.
Despite countless witness testimonies and independent documentation of forced labour sites, which the Chinese government calls vocational training centres, Beijing has dismissed the findings of the UN report.
About 100 countries responded to Mr Larsens motion by saying Chinas internal affairs were Chinas business.
The fact that over 100 member states voiced their support for Chinas just position demonstrates what the international community truly stands for and shows that the attempt of a handful of Western countries, including Australia and the US, to resort to political manipulation under the pretext of human rights will gain no support and will never succeed, Mr Lin said.
But the bulk of the countries have either signed up to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative or have spotty human rights records themselves.
During his remarks at the UN, Mr Larsen admitted no country could profess a perfect record on human rights.
No country has a perfect human rights record, but no country is above fair scrutiny of its human rights obligations, he said.
It is incumbent on all of us not to undermine international human rights commitments that benefit us all, and for which all states are accountable.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia will disagree where we must
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded to the criticism while addressing reporters in Apia, Samoa ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
When it comes to China, weve said well cooperate where we can, well disagree where we must, and well engage in our national interest, he said on Thursday.
Weve raised issues of human rights with China. Weve done that in a consistent and clear way.
Estimates suggest China has detained about one million Uyghurs and other minorities in internment camps, known as training centres, in recent years.
The damning 2022 report found the discriminatory detention has stripped minorities in the region of fundamental rights constituting crimes against humanity.
Chinas initial responses stated that the report was based on lies fabricated by anti-China forces.
