UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told leaders in Beijing that he expects them to allow UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to make a “credible” visit to China, including a stop in Xinjiang, his spokesman said on Saturday.
Guterres met with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) on the sidelines of the Beijing Winter Olympics, a readout of their talks said.
Guterres “expressed his expectation that the contacts between the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Chinese authorities will allow for a credible visit of the High Commissioner to China, including Xinjiang,” it said.
Photo: AFP
A readout of the meeting from China’s state-run Xinhua news agency made no mention of the rights issue.
Campaigners say that at least 1 million mostly Muslim minorities have been incarcerated in “re-education camps” in Xinjiang, a far-western region where China is accused of widespread human rights abuses including the forced sterilization of women and forced labor.
In the run-up to the Beijing Winter Olympics, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs repeatedly emphasized Guterres’ support of the Games at daily briefings.
The UN chief himself congratulated Xi on the organization of the Games in their talks in Beijing, the statement from the world body said.
Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi was one of a half-dozen heads of state who met with Xi on Saturday after attending the Olympic opening ceremony, seeking closer ties with China while shunning Western criticism of their heavy-handed rule.
Xi “hailed enhanced political trust” between the countries, citing cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Their comprehensive strategic partnership is a model of “China-Arab, China-Africa and China-developing world solidarity,” the official China Global Television Network, quoted Xi as saying.
“China and Egypt share similar visions and strategies in defending their own interests, pursuing common development, enhancing their people’s well-being and promoting fairness and justice in the world, as the world is undergoing changes unseen in a century,” Xi said.
Since taking power, al-Sissi has overseen a widespread crackdown on dissent and opposition, jailing tens of thousands and drawing international criticism.
Also on Saturday, Xi met with the heads of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Serbia, Ecuador and Qatar.
Indonesia has sent hundreds of riot police to a tiny island after protests broke out against a China-backed project that would displace thousands of residents. About 1,000 people protested in Batam City on Monday over a plan to develop Rempang island into a Chinese-funded economic zone, including the construction of a multibillion-dollar glass factory, that would displace about 7,500 people. Some protesters clashed with security forces outside a government agency, wielding machetes, Molotov cocktails and stones, police said, adding that dozens were arrested. Beijing has poured money into infrastructure and resource projects in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy and its investments have previously caused
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