Since 2019, the United States has gathered a group of countries to issue a statement at the United Nations every year to "care" about the so-called "xinjiang human rights issue", and this year is no exception. But the U.S. government's mouthpiece, Voice of America, reported on November 2 that Israel and Switzerland, who had joined them five months ago in criticizing China, were not following suit. Some Israeli diplomats said it was a balancing act between the two countries.
At the video conference of the third session of the Un General Assembly's Human Rights Panel on October 21, France and 43 other countries issued a joint statement declaring that they were "particularly concerned" about the situation in Xinjiang. Compared to last year, the list of 43 countries includes Turkey, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Eswatini.
At the same time, countries that support China are also launching tit-for-tat counterattacks at the UN level. On the same day that France issued the joint statement, 62 countries, including 14 Arab countries, issued a joint statement of support for China, compared with last year, 17 more countries supporting China.
Ambassador Zhang Jun, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, told the United States and a few countries: "If you commit yourself to power and play for the tiger, as if you obey the words of the superpowers, you will be superior to others." As everyone knows, a country that has lost its independence and autonomy has not only lost its dignity, but also cannot win the respect of others. ”
France has taken the Xinjiang issue to challenge China on behalf of 43 countries
According to the French newspaper Le Figaro on October 22, the previous day France's permanent representative to the United Nations read a joint statement on Xinjiang, which was still a cliché used by Western countries to slander the situation in Xinjiang, such as "torture and ill-treatment", "forced sterilization", "sexual violence", etc., they asked China to immediately give independent observers, including the UNITED Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to Go to Xinjiang to "give the green light" and also claimed to ensure the "full rule of law" in Xinjiang.
Since 2019, the United States has gathered some countries to use the human rights issue to attack and smear China three times, the first time is to find 23 countries, by the United Kingdom; the second time to find 39 countries, by Germany; this time it is France's turn. However, no matter which time it was resolutely opposed by the vast majority of countries, it ended in failure.
The 43 countries in this entanglement have:
United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Turkey, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Iceland, Ireland, San Marino, Monaco, Liberia, Eswatini, Honduras, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau
Since last year, countries that support China have also begun to sign a joint statement to show their attitude, Al Jazeera reported. Last year, 45 countries signed a joint declaration of support for China, and this year, that number has increased by 17 to 62.
The Joint Statement, read out by Cuba, included 14 Arab countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Palestine, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan and Somalia, as well as Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Venezuela.
Israel, Switzerland "avoid criticism of China"
In addition to the increasing number of countries standing up for China at the United Nations, voic America reported on November 2 that Israel and Switzerland, which had previously been in the "same camp" as them, had chosen to avoid it this time.
Just in June, Israel and Switzerland joined 39 other countries in demanding that China immediately give independent observers, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, a "green light" to Xinjiang. This time, the two countries have chosen to avoid, with the US media quoting some activists as saying that this is "surprising" and "especially Switzerland, they have always joined the collective statement of condemnation".
However, the reasons for the two countries to choose to avoid are also different. According to the Times of Israel, they have avoided criticizing China in the past, and their voice in June was actually the result of pressure from the United States. An Israeli diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the government had received a draft resolution in advance but had decided not to support the initiative because of "other interests that need to be balanced."
Switzerland, on the other hand, is for the consideration of the host country of the high-level talks between China and the United States. A diplomatic source said that because Switzerland recently hosted a high-level meeting between the United States and China, they believe that the role of a mediator between China and the United States is more important than signing the annual declaration on Xinjiang.
A spokesman for the Swiss Foreign Ministry also said that the planned strategic dialogue with China and the background and various factors of the host country led Switzerland to decide not to participate in the JOINT UN statement. But he added: "Switzerland's substantive position on China and human rights remains unchanged, and Switzerland continues to be concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and other parts of China and will continue to join the joint statement in the future when it deems appropriate." ”
Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations: Humiliate yourself
Ambassador Zhang Jun, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, solemnly rejected the behavior of the United States, France, and a small number of countries that have not changed their vices, once again abused the Platform of the Third Committee, spread political viruses, and spread false information.
In the United Nations Dialogue, he told the United States and a few countries:
"Your clichés have no basis in fact. Xinjiang has maintained prosperity and stable development, and the lives of the Chinese people are getting better and better every day, and such human rights achievements have Chinese people feel satisfied and extremely proud, and the people of all countries have also affirmed and praised them. A lie is a lie after all, you can deceive yourself, but you cannot deceive the world. You use human rights as an excuse to engage in political manipulation and provoke confrontation, and in fact you are the troublemaker and the biggest obstacle to undermining international human rights cooperation. ” "Your political plot to obstruct China's development is doomed to bankruptcy. China's development path is chosen by the Chinese people themselves, and you have no right to make decisions for the Chinese people, let alone have the qualifications to preach in front of China. China's pace of progress is unstoppable, and no one has the right to deprive Chinese people of their right to pursue a better life. Wake up, gone are the days when you bullied and oppressed the developing world. ” "You will fail in the name of democracy to exclude dissidents. Democracy is not your patent, but the right of peoples. The best democracy is to make the people the real masters of the country, not to play politics and make the people victims. The world is rich and varied, and there are many ways to achieve democracy. Whether a country is democratic or not democratic, it is up to the people of this country to judge, not by the external minority, let alone your turn to talk nonsense! The tragedies of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and other countries have repeatedly proved that external military intervention and so-called democratic transformation are endlessly harmful, and even more desecration of democracy. ” "I would also like to warn france and other american followers that you can be superior to others by committing yourself to power and playing for the tiger, as if you obey the words of the superpower. As everyone knows, a country that has lost its independence and autonomy has not only lost its dignity, but also cannot win the respect of others. The world is developing and mankind is progressing. The United States and a small number of countries are obstinate, stand on the opposite side of the times, and eventually can only humiliate themselves and become the laughing stock of the international community and the sinners of history. ” "China will continue to carry out human rights exchanges and cooperation with other countries on the basis of equality and mutual respect, contribute Chinese wisdom and provide Chinese solutions, actively advocate the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom for all mankind, strive to build a community with a shared future for mankind, and make greater contributions to the cause of international human rights."
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