UK MPs declare China committing genocide against Uyghurs, Beijing calls it 'cooked up'

British members of the parliament have voted to declare that Xi Jinping-led government in China is committing genocide against Uyghurs in the remote area of Xinjiang. As per the Guardian report,  even though the action does not compel an action by the government, the UK MPs passed the resolution on April 23 which is set to further deteriorate bilateral ties between Britain and China. The Asia minister, Nigel Adams reportedly acknowledged that there was credible information and evidence of widespread use of forced labour, internment camps and the targeting of the ethnic groups.

Adams also noted that all the actions amount to a clear as well as a systematic violation of human rights. However, he reportedly added that the UK’s longstanding position was that determining genocide is for “competent national and international courts”. UK MPs vote is the latest addition to Western democracies mounting pressure on China. Britain parliament’s Thursday vote was even welcomed by the US Senate foreign relations committee, Bob Menendez. He said that UK MPs “shone a light on the egregious abuses the Chinese state commits against the Uyghur people. The free world must be united in holding the Chinese government to account for these abuses.”

China accuses the UK of ‘cooking up’ the motion

China responded to UK MPs passing the motion of Beijing committing genocide in Xinjiang against Uyghurs. China’s embassy in the UK condemning the latest action accused the British lawmakers to have ’cooked up’ the motion with an aim to ‘discredit’ and ‘attack’ China. Further dismissing the claims of genocide in Xinjiang, China said that such claims are the “most preposterous lie of the century, an outrageous insult and affront to the Chinese people, and a gross breach of international law and the basic norms governing international relations”.

UK parliament’s Thursday vote came after international non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch in a new report published on April 19 said that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s government is carrying out “crimes against humanity” to “break lineage, roots” of Muslim ethnic minority, Uyghurs. It also held the Chinee leadership for the widespread policies of mass detention, torture, and cultural persecution among other offences. In the 53-page report, the Human Rights Watch also called for global action against the ones who are responsible in order to elevate accountability and corner the Chinese government. 

Image credits: AP