China on Monday accused the G7 nations of “political manipulation” after the foreign leaders criticized China over its human rights record in Xinjiang and noted the alleged abuses against Uyghur Muslims, minorities in the region. China accused the foreign leaders of interfering in the country’s internal affairs, based on “lies, rumours and baseless accusations”. The G7 nations had also called out the repression of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, with US president Joe Biden asking Beijing to “start acting more responsibly in terms of international norms on human rights”.
The Chinese embassy in London put out an official statement saying, “The Group of Seven (G-7) takes advantage of Xinjiang-related issues to engage in political manipulation and interfere in China’s internal affairs, which we firmly oppose.” An embassy spokesman, reading out the official statement from the Chinese government said that the country has pledged to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The leaders of Group of Seven richest democracies also demanded a second transparent science-based study into the origins of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), according to a draft communique.In recent times, Beijing has drawn the ire of the West over its alleged human rights violations and forced labour practices in the Xinjiang region, largely inhabited by Uyghur Muslims, an ethnic minority group in China. Several global human rights groups have accused China of hounding an estimated one million Uyghur Muslims in internment camps in the Xinjiang region. Beijing says the move will eradicate Islamic extremism, but Western nations have expressed apprehension over what they call a gross violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms.