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China hits out at New York Times over report on Xinjiang crackdown documents
- Foreign ministry does not question validity of papers but says article ignores success of campaign involving the detention of more than a million Muslims
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China’s foreign ministry lashed out at The New York Times on Monday over its release of leaked documents portraying the inner workings of Beijing’s campaign to detain more than a million Muslims in re-education camps.
Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang accused the newspaper of ignoring the true reasons behind and success of what China terms a campaign to end poverty, separatism and religious extremism.
Geng said the fact Xinjiang had not suffered a terrorist attack in three years – about the length of the time the internments have been carried out in earnest – showed the correctness of the policy.
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He said the article was a “clumsy patchwork” based on “selected interpretation” of the documents.
“It is hyping up these so-called internal documents to smear China’s efforts in Xinjiang. What is the agenda?” he said.
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Geng said China would continue “to do a good job” in implementing policies in Xinjiang aimed at expanding development and prosperity.
“Xinjiang’s continuing prosperity, stability, ethnic unity and social harmony are the strongest refutation to the allegations by certain media and individuals,” he said.
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