The European Union, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and all countries and NGOs criticizing the People’s Republic of China are currently targeted by accusations from Beijing’s ‘wolf-warrior’ diplomats.

The regime in Beijing does not tolerate any criticism or questioning of its human rights management, such as the repression of Uighurs in Xinjiang, among others.

Xi Jinping uses the old Stalinist methods by declaring that “The EU has no right to lecture China on human rights. It should reflect instead on its owns mistakes and correct them.”

On March 4, an incident took place at the United Nations in Geneva on the sidelines of the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Indeed, during the 46th session of the Human Rights Council, ‘wolf warrior’ from the delegation of the People’s Republic of China attacked Mr. Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, and an NGO:

During this 46th session of the Human Rights Council, Mr. Ahmed Shaheed presented his report on “Countering Islamophobia/Anti-Muslim Hatred to Eliminate Discrimination and Intolerance Based on Religion or Belief”.

In his report, the Special Rapporteur denounces China’s policy towards the Uighur Muslim community:

“-In China, popular narratives on social media emphasize the incompatibility of Muslim identities with being Chinese and claim that State initiatives attempting to strip Muslim women of their religious identity serve to “rescue” Muslim women from their supposed lives as vessels of Muslim reproduction.

– China has appointed Imams for its Uighur minority since 1990;

– China being forcibly “renovated” by removing minarets and Arabic script;  and that State actors in Muslim majority states have destroyed religious sites belonging to minority Muslim communities

– China has closed hundreds of Arabic language and Islamic schools; nearly half a million – mostly Uighur – children forcibly placed in boarding schools; and Islamic scholars imprisoned.

– China, allegations have emerged that Uighur women are systematically raped, sexually abused, and tortured in so-called “re-education” camps in Xinjiang Province.” 

In his response (Video 1), the delegate representing the People’s Republic of China said that the report was false and that the Special Rapporteur was spreading false information in the media, and that his report was not based on facts. The delegation questioned the Special Rapporteur’s professionalism and ethics, saying he was on the payroll of anti-Chinese forces and asking the Human Rights Council to take action.

The Chinese delegate was interrupted in his diatribe against the Special Rapporteur by the President of the Human Rights Council who had to remind him to respect the rules of decorum that all participants in the Human Rights Council must observe. A rare occurrence.

Indeed, the President declared that she could not allow such remarks against the Special Rapporteur. She stressed that the delegation’s remarks were unacceptable and that everyone had the right to express their point of view, but that no personal attack against an official UN representative could be tolerated.

Then (video 2), during the interactive dialogue session between the Special Rapporteur and NGOs, the Chinese delegate interrupted the session again to ask for the floor: this time he attacked an NGO that had denounced the genocide against the Uighurs in Xinjiang.

Our organization, as well as all the NGOs that have been denouncing human rights violations for years, are used to interventions and intimidations by the delegation of the People’s Republic of China.

As “Human Rights Watch” stipulated it in its 2017 report(1): “Chinese officials have harassed activists, primarily those from China, by photographing and filming them on UN premises in violation of UN rules, and restricting their travel to Geneva. China has used its membership on the Economic and Social Council’s (ECOSOC) NGO Committee to block NGOs critical of China from being granted UN accreditation, and it has sought to blacklist accredited activists to bar their attendance. Behind the scenes, Chinese diplomats, in violation of UN rules, have contacted UN staff and experts on treaty bodies and special procedures (independent experts focusing on specific human rights issues), including behavior that at times has amounted to harassment and intimidation.”

How long and by what means will the Western world be able to stand up to the increasing intensity of China’s “undiplomatic” diplomacy in its international relations?

(1) https://www.hrw.org/report/2017/09/05/costs-international-advocacy/chinas-interference-united-nations-human-rights

Video 1:

http://webtv.un.org/watch/id-sr-on-religion-20th-meeting-46th-regular-session-human-rights-council-/6237146868001/#t=1h6m29s

Video 2:

http://webtv.un.org/watch/player/6237407311001#t=12m45s

 

Translate »
Share This