Chinese FM trumpets importance of Rule of Law but remains silent on Uyghur forced labor News
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Chinese FM trumpets importance of Rule of Law but remains silent on Uyghur forced labor

Guided by the Rule of Law and good governance, Beijing will usher the world into a new era of stability and shared values, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Tuesday in press comments, during which he blasted Western morals while remaining silent on China’s own human rights record.

“Global governance should be promoted in accordance with the law and the principles of international law enshrined in the UN Charter; equity and justice must be upheld while hegemonism and selfish interests must be rejected; solidarity must be defended while division and confrontation must be abandoned,” he said, indicating that Western nations hold too much sway in the international political arena.

Qin, who has served as China’s top diplomat since December, accused Washington of allowing “US domestic politics” and “hysterical neo-McCarthyism” to guide bilateral relations.

He emphasized the importance, in China’s view, of leading the global community with shared values, outlining a five-pronged path to so-called Chinese modernization that emphasized the values of independence, wealth distribution, cooperation, inclusiveness, and hard work. “Chinese modernization offers solutions to many challenges facing human development. It busts the myth that modernization is westernization; it creates a new form of human advancement; and it provides an important source of inspiration for the world, especially developing countries,” he said.

While Qin’s comments covered myriad woes with Western values and championed China’s ostensible moral authority, they failed to address human rights allegations that have been leveled against Beijing’s treatment of its own population in recent years, including the forced labor camps and other serious rights abuses committed against the Uyghur population in Western China. The country has faced broad accusations of violating the rights of and committing crimes against humanity targeting Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang region. Despite mounting evidence and global pressure, Beijing continues to deny the allegations.

Amid accusations of Western failures and in the absence of any comment on Beijing’s own rights record, Qin said of China’s potential to lead the world toward a more harmonious future: “A just cause should be pursued for the common good. China will keep in mind the interests of the world, take an active part in global governance, and contribute more to world peace and development and to human progress.”