AP said the Chinese government asserted that the building housed a veterans affairs bureau and other offices, but did not state whether visiting media were shown inside.

01:54

China hits back at UK claims of forced sterilisations and other human rights abuses against Uygurs

China hits back at UK claims of forced sterilisations and other human rights abuses against Uygurs

TV Tokyo was the only Japanese outlet to join the media tour. Its reporter visited a textile company with 5,000 employees that was sanctioned by the United States over the alleged use of forced labour.

The company claimed that there was no forced labour, saying that sanctions had affected transactions with American and Japanese firms. In addition, TV Tokyo visited a cotton cultivation site.

“Both the government and farmers emphasised the progress of automation and emphasised that forced labour does not exist here either,” TV Tokyo’s report said.

Many people who were asked about alleged human rights abuses did not respond, but some said that “Han Chinese and ethnic minorities are one family”, TV Tokyo said.

03:47

Leaked state documents describe repressive operations at China’s detention camps in Xinjiang

Leaked state documents describe repressive operations at China’s detention camps in Xinjiang

Beijing has cited visits by NBC in 2019 and the BBC in 2020 as evidence that it does not bar foreign media from Xinjiang. However, the BBC reported that during its visit, its staff were prevented from filming, questioned and followed.

China labelled its coverage “fake news”.

“I encourage you to see more of the region and present the image of the real Xinjiang to the world,” Le Yucheng, China’s foreign vice-minister, told AP on April 16, before the media trip.

More than 1,200 people from over 100 countries and regions, including officials from international organisations, diplomats, journalists and religious leaders, have visited Xinjiang since the end of 2018, according to official statistics.

02:31

Satellite images show China has bulldozed Uygur burial sites in Xinjiang

Satellite images show China has bulldozed Uygur burial sites in Xinjiang

Le told AP there was a condition that people should travel to Xinjiang as visitors, not investigators.

“We have invited Western diplomats to Xinjiang, but they are still reluctant to accept our invitation,” Le was quoted by AP as saying.

“I wonder what are they afraid of? We welcome them to come and visit Xinjiang, and they should come as visitors, not as investigators.

“We welcome friends to visit us. But if they come into the house as if this is their own place and search up and down for the so-called evidence of crimes, then of course they won’t be welcomed. Nor do they have the right to behave like that, do they?”

The Chinese foreign ministry said some foreign journalists in Beijing were invited to five places in Xinjiang – including Urumqi, Kashgar, Aksu, Changji and Turpan – from April 19 to 23.

The group visited themed exhibitions on anti-terrorism and extremism, religious sites, schools, rural communities, cotton planting sites, and local companies which have been sanctioned by the United States and the West.

 The ministry said it would continue to organise similar visits to Xinjiang for delegations of journalists.

Inviting diplomats and foreign media is seen by Beijing as a way to dispel suspicion and counter what it says are groundless reports by some Western media.

China calls Xinjiang camps training centres, ‘but its own documents say otherwise’

“Beijing believes that organising this kind of journalist delegation is effective, but I don’t think so,” Wu Qiang, a political analyst in Beijing, said.

“I believe many things are concealed, including the removal of some facilities. I don’t think the visiting group can get what they want to see, or be satisfied with what they could see.

“No one believes the truth can be obtained through an officially organised visit. It seems Beijing has a very naive propaganda-based approach to coverage of Xinjiang.”