China's Xinjiang denounces sanctions as utterly groundless

URUMQI, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has firmly opposed and strongly condemned the unilateral, unjustifiable sanctions imposed by the United States, Britain and Canada on some individuals and entities in Xinjiang.

In a statement issued Thursday, the regional government said the sanctions gravely violated international law and basic norms governing international relations, seriously interfered in China's internal affairs, and fully exposed sinister intentions of these countries to disrupt the stability and development of Xinjiang.

Xinjiang-related issues are not ethnic, religious, or human rights issues, but are issues of fighting terrorism and secessionism, the statement noted, urging the three countries to "stop political manipulation and double standards on human rights issues."

Xinjiang has arduously fought terrorism and extremism during the past four years and the region has not encountered any terrorist incidents in the period, the statement added.

Since the end of 2018, more than 80 foreign delegations, including United Nations officials, foreign envoys in China, representatives from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and permanent representatives of relevant countries to the United Nations in Geneva as well as foreign journalists and religious groups have visited Xinjiang.

More than 1,200 people from over 100 countries and regions have joined these visits, hailing China's achievements in fighting terrorism, deradicalization and human rights protection, according to the statement.

A number of Xinjiang officials also condemned the sanctions calling them "a farce staged by some anti-China politicians," which will be held in contempt by most members of the international community.

Wang Junzheng, deputy Party chief of Xinjiang, said imposing sanctions on individuals and entities based on lies and false information seriously slanders the reputation and dignity of the Chinese people.

"I personally have no interest at all in visiting the European Union, the United States, Britain and Canada, and I don't have a penny in these places. The so-called sanctions are just a piece of waste paper and a disgrace to the ones imposing them," Wang said.