UK joins 22 other UN nations in condemning China’s detention of Uighur Muslims

Countries call on Beijing to respect ‘freedom of religion or belief’ over Xinjiang camp allegations

The UK has led 22 other countries at the United Nations (UN) in condemning China over the country’s detention of Muslims.

The group strongly criticised Beijing in a joint statement.

Karen Pierce, the UK’s UN ambassador, delivered the statement to the 193-member organisation’s human rights committee.

Other supporters included Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Japan.

“We call on the Chinese government to uphold its national laws and international obligations and commitments to respect human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, in Xinjiang and across China,” Ms Pierce said.

The UN says at least one million ethnic Uighurs, and other Muslims, have been detained in camps in China’s remote Xinjiang province.

Beijing claims the camps are “vocational training centres” designed to stamp out extremism and give people new skills.

But former detainees have alleged that inmates are subjected to torture, medical experiments and gang rape.

Others have said that Muslim detainees are forced to drink alcohol and eat pork.

The government has also reportedly destroyed domes and minarets at mosques across the country.

China denies the allegations.

The group of 23 nations pushed Beijing to urgently implement UN recommendations in Xinjiang, “including by refraining from the arbitrary detention of Uighurs and members of other Muslim communities.”

Ms Pierce said the group was also calling on all countries not to deport refugees to countries where they could face persecution.

Beijing reacted angrily to the statement and said it was not “helpful” for US-China trade talks.

Zhang Jun, China’s ambassador to the UN, claimed the accusations were “baseless” and a “gross interference in China’s internal affairs and deliberate provocation”.

He also said the US’ criticism of China could affect trade talks between Washington and Beijing.

“It’s hard to imagine that on the one hand you are trying to seek to have a trade deal, on the other hand you are making use of any issues, especially human rights issues, to blame the others,” Mr Jun said.

“I do not think its helpful for having a good solution to the issue of trade talks.”

US and Chinese negotiators are working on the text of an interim trade agreement.

The teams hope the text will be ready for Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, China’s president, to sign at a summit in November.

“I would be standing here regardless if it was China or wherever it is, wherever there are human rights abuses we would be here in defence of those that are suffering,” said Kelly Craft, the US ambassador to the UN, when asked about the impact on trade talks.

A rival group of 54 countries, including Pakistan, Russia, Belarus, Egypt, Serbia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, chose to praise China’s record on human rights.

Valentin Rybakov, Belarus’ UN ambassador, praised Beijing’s protection of rights while dealing with counterrrorism in Xinjiang.

“Now safety and security have returned to Xinjiang and fundamental human rights of people of all ethnic groups there are safeguarded,” Mr Rybakov said.

“We commend China’s remarkable achievements in the field of human rights.”

The situation follows a similar one at the UN Human Rights Council on July, when more than 22 states – including the UK – called on China to halt mass detentions.

More than 30 other countries, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, supported China.

Last month the US also led more than 30 countries in condemning what it called China’s “horrific campaign of repression” against Muslims.

Additional reporting by agencies