US political manipulation of human rights issues unpopular worldwide: Chinese FM

NEW YORK -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Wednesday the political manipulation of human rights issues by a few countries, such as the United States, is becoming increasingly unpopular across the world.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk and multiple countries' foreign ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Over 100 countries have voiced their support for China's position and opposed the politicization of human rights at the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) held in Geneva on Tuesday, said Wang.

During the session, nearly 80 countries, including many Muslim nations, delivered a joint statement supporting China, and more than 20 other countries expressed their support in various ways, backing China's just position when a few countries, including the United States, used Xinjiang-related issues to attack and smear China's human rights situation.

The vast majority of Muslim countries have long seen through the tricks of the United States and understand that it is merely using human rights as a pretext to interfere in the internal affairs of China and other developing countries, he added.

Wang said that the clear support from over 100 developing countries at the UNHRC is not only to defend China's legitimate rights but also to uphold international fairness and justice, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and protect the fundamental principle of non-interference in internal affairs in international relations, said Wang.

Wang pointed out that such action of the United States and its followers once again exposed their double standards on human rights issues to the world. People cannot help but ask: if the United States is so concerned about the human rights of Muslims, why does it continuously provoke or support wars in regions like the Middle East, causing numerous innocent Muslim casualties? Why does it turn a blind eye to the historical injustices faced by the Arab people and not support Palestine in becoming a full member of the United Nations? Why does it fail to play its due role in achieving a permanent ceasefire and full military withdrawal from Gaza?

The top Chinese diplomat emphasized that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and China's achievements in protecting and promoting human rights are widely recognized, and the development and progress in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region are evident to all.

Wang said China is willing to engage in dialogue with all countries on human rights issues on the basis of equality. China's doors are open to the world, and it welcomes friends from all nations to visit China and see for themselves, he added.