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<p>We have serious concerns about the situation in Xinjiang, where there are credible
reports of over a million Uyghurs and other minorities being detained in so-called
“re-education camps".</p><p>Ministers and senior officials frequently raise the
human rights issues in the region with their Chinese counterparts. The Foreign Secretary
highlighted our concerns with Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi
during his most recent visit to China in July 2018. Later that month, the Minister
for Asia & the Pacific did the same with his Chinese counterpart Vice Minister
Guo Yezhou. Additionally, our Embassy in Beijing regularly raises the treatment of
Uyghurs in Xinjiang with the Chinese authorities.</p><p>Further, we spoke publicly
about the situation in the region at the 40th UN Human Rights Council in February
and March 2019. I raised our concerns during my opening address on 25 February, and
the UK spoke about Xinjiang during our “Item 4” national statement on 12 March. Following
this, we co-sponsored a side event on “Protecting the fundamental freedoms in Xinjiang”
on 13 March which helped to raise awareness of the situation among the international
community.</p><p>Moreover, in our statement at China’s Universal Periodic Review on
6 November 2018, we made clear our concern about the treatment of Uyghurs in China.
The UK issued a specific recommendation to China that it implements the UN Committee
on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s recommendations on Xinjiang and allows
the UN to monitor the implementation.</p><p>We will continue to raise the human rights
situation in Xinjiang with the Chinese Government at all levels bilaterally and in
appropriate UN fora, including the Human Rights Council.</p>
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