FM says Xinjiang's door open to world

Special: Xinjiang

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that China welcomes a visit to the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet in the near future, saying the door of the region is open.

China welcomes people from all over the world who harbor no bias to come to Xinjiang for visits and exchanges, he added.

Wang made the remarks via video when addressing the high-level segment of the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

He slammed constant hyping by some forces with ulterior motives with regard to Xinjiang affairs, saying so-called "ethnic genocide", "forced labor" and "religious suppression" are totally fabricated lies.

Wang expressed the willingness to engage in human rights exchanges and cooperation with all countries on the basis of equality and mutual respect, while highlighting that China does not accept self-styled "lecturers" on human rights, and rejects stoking bloc confrontation in the name of human rights.

Wang said the UN Human Rights Council should adhere to principles of nonselectiveness and nonpoliticization, and must not be reduced to a stage for political confrontation.

Countries should practice true multilateralism and unswervingly promote greater democracy and rule of law in international relations, so as to steer global human rights governance toward great fairness, equity and inclusiveness, he said.

Wang reiterated that China would steadfastly follow its human rights development path, which meets the trend of times and is in line with the country's conditions.

Wang said China would protect human rights of the Chinese people at a higher level by putting people first, developing whole-process people's democracy and promoting common prosperity.

As human rights have historical, specific and practical contexts, Wang maintained that the cause of the development of human rights should proceed from the people's needs and the conditions of a country.

Wang vowed that China would continue to proactively participate in and contribute to the affairs of UN human rights.

Wang told the 47-member council that the Global Development Initiative, put forward by President Xi Jinping, is committed to advancing the implementation of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

It is another public good that China has provided to the world to promote the cause of international human rights, and has been endorsed and supported by the UN and nearly 100 countries, Wang said.