Key points
- China has condemned Western countries, including Australia, for ignoring the “living hell” in the Gaza Strip.
- The rebuke came after Australia and fourteen other countries criticized China at the UN for alleged human rights abuses.
- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Australia had “long been plagued by systemic racism and hate crimes”.
China has condemned Western countries for ignoring the “living hell” in the Gaza Strip – saying Australia is hypocritical and plagued by “systemic racism” and “hate crimes” – after being confronted at the United Nations.
Australia, the United States and thirteen other countries criticized China at the UN on Tuesday for alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Tibet.
“We urge China to uphold the international human rights obligations it has voluntarily undertaken and implement all UN recommendations,” Australia’s UN Ambassador James Larsen told the UN General Assembly’s human rights committee UN.
“This includes the release of all persons arbitrarily detained in both Xinjiang and Tibet, and urgently clarifying the fate and whereabouts of missing family members,” Larsen said.
He spoke on behalf of Australia, the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Great Britain.
China backtracks on claims
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said: “Australia, which has long been plagued by systemic racism and hate crimes, has seriously violated the rights of refugees and immigrants and left indigenous people with vulnerable living conditions.
“Australian soldiers have committed horrific crimes in Afghanistan and other countries during their military operations abroad.”
A recent report from the Australian Human Rights Commission in healthcare, schools, workplaces and interactions with police.
China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong accused the group of Western states of resorting to “lies to provoke confrontation.”
“The human rights situation that should receive the most attention in the committee this year is undoubtedly that of Gaza,” he said on Tuesday.
“Australia and the US, and some others, downplayed this living hell while unleashing attacks and slander against peaceful and tranquil Xinjiang.
Hamas-led militants from the Gaza Strip attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
Palestinian health authorities say more than 42,000 people have been killed and almost everyone in the enclave of 2.3 million has since been displaced by the Israeli response.
Fu said that if the death toll in Gaza was not enough to “awaken the conscience of a few Western countries… then their so-called protection of the human rights of Muslims is nothing but the biggest lie.”
In response to the claims, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reiterated his government’s mantra when asked about relations with China: “We will cooperate where we can, we will disagree where we must, and we will advance our national interest.”
“We have raised human rights issues with China. We have done that in a consistent and clear way,” he said, as reported by the Guardian.
“No country has a perfect human rights record. But no country is above fair scrutiny of its human rights obligations,” Larsen said.
“It is incumbent on all of us not to undermine international human rights obligations, which benefit us all and for which all states are responsible.”
Deputy US Ambassador Lisa Carty said her country called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas, and for Israel to allow more aid into the enclave.
Tibet and Xinjiang claim a long-running issue
Conflict over China’s treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslims has become a common occurrence, both at the United Nations in New York and at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
A China’s “arbitrary and discriminatory detention” of Uighurs and other Muslims in the Xinjiang region could be a crime against humanity.
It said “serious human rights violations” had been committed.
Beijing has long denied allegations of abuse against Uyghurs.
Albanians raised alleged human rights abuses and threatening actions by the Chinese military during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Australia in June.
Events in Canberra saw Communist Party supporters clash with protesters representing the Uyghur, Tibetan and Hong Kong communities.
Also Foreign Minister Penny Wong when her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi visited Canberra in March.
“I have raised Australia’s concerns about human rights, including in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong,” she said at the time.
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