BEIJING, July 2 -- China urges certain countries to correct their mistakes on human rights issues, refrain from politicizing the relevant issues or practicing double standards, and stop meddling in other countries' domestic affairs, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday.
Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a press briefing while commenting on the European Union's recent allegations at the UN Human Rights Council regarding Xinjiang-related human rights issues.
A small number of countries have hyped up Xinjiang-related issues at multilateral events since last year, Zhao said, but many friendly and developing countries support China's position firmly and commend the enormous achievements China has made in Xinjiang's counter-terrorism and de-radicalization moves.
Zhao told the press that 46 countries overwhelmingly passed a joint statement in the council, reiterating their support for China's governance policies in Xinjiang. He said this showed that "the attempts of some Western countries to smear Xinjiang and wantonly criticize China have failed once again."
He also pointed out that the issues faced by Xinjiang are counter-terrorism and de-radicalization, rather than those of race, religion and human rights, and the Chinese government has taken a series of measures according to the law.
"Now these measures have turned the situation around," Zhao said. "In more than three years, not a single violent and terrorist incident took place in Xinjiang. And these positive contributions made by China are recognized by the international community."
Zhao said that China is working with all parties to ensure that multilateral human rights mechanisms abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, while human rights issues should be dealt with in an objective, fair and non-selective way.
China is against certain countries using human rights as a pretext to interfere in other countries' internal affairs, Zhao said, adding that "we urge them to correct the mistakes, refrain from politicizing the relevant issues or practicing double standards, and stop meddling in other countries' domestic affairs."