China-US divide over UN human rights chief’s visit to Xinjiang

Beijing says it held in-depth exchanges with Michelle Bachelet, offering a real experience of the region

But Washington is not convinced Bachelet had the access to make an independent assessment

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The trip to China by UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet (left) included a virtual meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:00pm, 29 May 2022Updated: 12:57pm, 30 May 2022

China and the US are at odds over the UN human rights chief’s trip to Xinjiang, with Beijing saying it “achieved positive and practical results” and Washington voicing “deep concern” over China’s alleged “efforts to restrict and manipulate” the visit.

“The United States remains concerned about the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and her team’s visit to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and PRC efforts to restrict and manipulate her visit,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday.

“We are concerned the conditions Beijing authorities imposed on the visit did not enable a complete and independent assessment of the human rights environment in the PRC, including in Xinjiang, where genocide and crimes against humanity are ongoing.”

Blinken made the assessment as Bachelet wrapped up her six-day trip to China, the first by a UN human rights commissioner since 2005.

The trip included talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping via video link and stops in Kashgar and Urumqi in the far-western region of Xinjiang.

The Chinese government has been accused of forced sterilisation and mass internment of members of the Uygur ethnic group and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.

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