China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday refuted U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's remarks on Xinjiang and stressed that any attempts to interfere with China's internal affairs are doomed to failure.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the comments at a daily press conference in Beijing.
Geng said judging from his untrue words, Pompeo lacked the most basic knowledge and understanding of China's Xinjiang.
The so-called "re-education camps" do not exist in Xinjiang, Geng said. "The vocational education and training centers in Xinjiang, launched in accordance with the law, aim to help those who are eroded by terrorism and extremism to return to the right track, and help them obtain skills to support themselves and reintegrate into society."
No violent and terrorist incidents have happened in Xinjiang over the past three years since the establishment of the education centers, and the security situation has significantly improved in the region, he said.
Geng said people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang enjoyed full freedom of religious belief in accordance with the law, a fact which is obvious to all.
According to Geng, Xinjiang currently has 24,400 Mosques, which means one for every 530 Muslims. "The number of Mosques in the United States is less than one-tenth of that in Xinjiang, according to open data," Geng said.
The Uygur culture has been effectively protected and promoted, and the Uygur people in Xinjiang enjoy the right to use their own language in accordance with the law, Geng said.
"Pompeo appeared to lack the most basic knowledge and understanding of China's Xinjiang, but this is not the point. The point is that he does not want to see a true Xinjiang," Geng said. "It is a matter of different nature if one ignores facts and truth, is addicted to fabricating lies and fallacies, and attempts to use human rights and religion as an excuse, to interfere with China's internal affairs."
"I need to remind Pompeo that his public performance fully exposes his true colors," Geng said, noting "any attempts to interfere with China's internal affairs are destined to fail."
