US bill negates basic norms of Int’ l relations

BEIJING: The United States' double standards on terrorist attacks and religious extremists will place it on the opposite side of the Chinese people as well as the world, chairman of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regional government said on Monday.

The so-called Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019 passed by the US House of Representative seriously breaks the international law and basic norms of international relations, "which wantonly interfere in China's internal affairs," Shohrat Zakir said.

He made the remarks at a news conference on the current social situation of Xinjiang, organized by the State Council Information Office in Beijing.

"Measures against terrorist attacks and extremists taken in Xinjiang are no different from those in many other countries, including the US," he said.

"Some people in the US should discard their bias, and not practice double standards against terrorist attacks and extremists," he said. "Their bias and double standards will make them stand opposite to the 1.4 billion Chinese people and the world, and opposite to morality and conscience of human beings."

The chairman reiterated that no force can stop Xinjiang's stability, development and prosperity.

He said the US' so-called act ignores the facts and confuses black with white. It has maliciously distorted the human right situation in Xinjiang and groundlessly accused the Chinese government's policies on governing the region. "The region and local people strongly condemn and firmly oppose this superpower hegemony," he added. Trainees taking part in the courses on the standard Chinese language, laws and vocational skills, as well as the de-radicalization programs at the lawfully-established vocational education and training centers in Xinjiang have all graduated, Shorat Zakir said. The centers offer courses to help those who committed petty crimes or minor offences while involved in terrorist and extremist activities stay away from religious extremism and terrorism.