China hits back at US accusations of ‘genocide, crimes against humanity’

CAIRO- June 1, 2022: China has hit back at US accusations of violating human rights, saying that the United States still violates rights with its policies regarding indigenous people and African Americans, besides turning millions of people in the Middle East into “refuges.”

In his daily briefing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian refuted the US accusations of “committing genocide and crimes against humanity” in detention camps against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

“All these lies mongered by the US have been shattered in front of facts and truth time and again. The more desperate the US politicians are in repeating such lies as ‘genocide’, the more will be exposed about their bullying and hypocritical nature, the more the US’ credibility and reputation be corrupted and the stronger indignation will be triggered among the Chinese against the US acts,” he said.

Lijian continued that the Native Americans are still suffering, scattered in reservations after they had gone through a “brutal past of genocide and crimes against humanity,” adding that African Americans were subject to forced labor in cotton plantations.

He also slammed Washington over the mass shootings and its policies in Middle Eastern countries like Syria and Iraq, saying, “The US has wantonly invaded and interfered militarily in other countries, killing over 800,000 people and turning more than 20 million into refugees in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Afghanistan. I wonder in what position the US officials are to criticize China in a patronizing and brazen manner?”

“The US should earnestly respect China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, and stop fabricating and spreading lies and rumors of all kinds to smear and denigrate China, and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs in the name of so-called human rights issues,” he said.

“The US should face squarely to its deplorable human rights track record, stop acting like a condescending lecturer and keep its own house in order,” Lijian added.

Three days ago, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized China’s human rights, saying Beijing is committing “genocide and crime against humanity in Xinjiang.”