China says it will not accept UN assessment of Xinjiang

China said Monday it would not accept an upcoming UN assessment of the human rights situation in its Xinjiang region and suggested such a move by the organization would damage its reputation.

In response to a question about the report, Xu Guixiang, a spokesperson for the Xinjiang government, said the image of "relevant institutions" will be damaged if they insist on "fabricating" the report.

The OHCHR (UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights) is finalizing its assessment of the situation in Xinjiang and hopes to make it public soon.

The Chinese government is accused by some in the international community of human rights violations against Uyghurs, a largely Muslim ethnic group in the region.

Last week, the Uyghur Tribunal, an independent and unofficial body in London, concluded that China conducted genocide in Xinjiang.

Beijing has long denied such allegations and said the West has been fabricating lies in an attempt to smear the country and contain its development.

Asked about the possibility of an independent visit to Xinjiang by UN officials, Xu said Xinjiang is an open region and welcomes anyone, but "investigation based on the presumption of guilt" will not be allowed.