Chinese officials have accused Australia of “systemic racism and hate crimes”, after Australia and 14 other countries criticised China for human rights violations.
Australian United Nations Ambassador James Larsen released a joint statement this week alongside nations like the United States, New Zealand, and Japan calling on China to address a U.N. report concluding there had been human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian then said as a press conference yesterday that Australia “has severely violated the rights of refugees and immigrants, and left Indigenous people with vulnerable living conditions. Australian soldiers have committed abhorrent crimes in Afghanistan and other countries during their military operations overseas.”
“These Western countries turn a blind eye to their severe human rights issues at home but in the meantime point their fingers at other countries,” Lin said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded from the CHOGM summit.
“When it comes to China, we’ve said we’ll cooperate where we can, we’ll disagree where we must, and we’ll engage in our national interest, and we’ve raised issues of human rights with China,” Albanese said.
The U.N. report, released in 2022, includes credible allegations of torture, arbitrary detention, and sexual violence committed by the Chinese government in Xinjiang.
In the joint statement, Larsen called on China to release “all individuals arbitrarily detained in both Xinjiang and Tibet”, as well as allowing U.N. observers into the region.
Chinese U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong accused Australia of “unleashing attacks and smears against the peaceful and tranquil Xinjiang” following the statement.