Residents and visitors dance happily in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Photo: Cui Meng/GT

 
Government of 37 countries, including Russia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt, Belarus, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and UAE, said they support China's human rights records, and China's policies of resolutely fighting terrorism and extremism in its northwestern Xinjiang region. 

Ambassadors of the 37 countries sent a joint letter to the UN showing their support for China on its "remarkable achievements in the field of human rights," a move that came two days after 22 Western countries criticized China's policies in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Among the 37 countries, many of them are developing and Muslim majority nations. Their support for China shows these countries' recognition of protecting people's right to survival and development. It also exposes Western countries' blatant attempt to politicize human rights issue in the international arena, where human rights issues should be used to push forward the progress of the human society, rather than being used as a political tool to smear other sovereign nations, experts say.

"Terrorism, separatism and religious extremism have caused enormous damage to people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, which has seriously infringed upon human rights, including the right to life, health and development," read the letter.

"Faced with the grave challenge of terrorism and extremism, China has undertaken a series of counter-terrorism and de-radicalization measures in Xinjiang, including setting up vocational education and training centers," the 37 envoys noted in the letter.

Photo: Cui Meng/GT

 
The letter was sent to the President of the UN Human Rights Council and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

It was signed by the ambassadors to UN at Geneva from Russia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Cuba, Algeria, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Nigeria, Angola, Togo, Tajikistan, Philippines, Belarus and a number of other countries from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and other parts of the world.

"No investigation, no word. Unlike the 22 western countries, which criticized China's Xinjiang policies based on guesswork and rumors, many of the 37 countries' diplomats have paid visits to Xinjiang and have seen what is really happening in Xinjiang," Li Wei, a counter-terrorism expert at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations in Beijing, told the Global Times.

Human Rights Watch released on Wednesday a joint letter signed by 22 countries at the UN's top human rights body, urging China to "end its mass arbitrary detentions and related violations against Muslims in the Xinjiang region."

The 22 countries include 18 European countries and Japan, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, many of them are American military allies. 

"Many of the 37 countries also face a serious threat of terrorism and extremism and they understand that the importance of anti-terrorism lies in de-radicalization work. China's Xinjiang policies have offered an effective way to eliminate extremism and the achievements have been witnessed by all," Li said.

Residents dance happily in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Photo: Cui Meng/GT

 
Xinjiang has invited many foreign diplomats to visit the region and the efforts have paid off. Xinjiang always welcomes more people who are willing to see the truth about the region to pay a visit there, an official from the Xinjiang government, told the Global Times.

"We commend China's remarkable achievements in the field of human rights by adhering to the people-centered development philosophy and protecting and promoting human rights through development," the joint letter said.

The ambassadors expressed their "firm opposition" to relevant countries' practice of politicizing human rights issues, by naming and shaming and publicly exerting pressures on other countries.

"We urge the OHCHR, Treaty Bodies and relevant Special Procedures mandate holders to conduct their work in an objective and impartial manner according to their mandate and with true and credible information, and value the communication with member states," the joint letter said.

"The 37 countries' support and recognition to China's achievements on anti-terrorism and protection of human rights would benefit the current global anti-terrorism work and fits into the interests of the human society," Li said.

The Associated Press said in a report on Friday that the joint letter of the 37 countries delivered to UN "was a show of the growing diplomatic clout that China can muster."

Li said that "It is true that China's influence has increased in recent years. This is because many of China's initiatives including the Belt and Road Initiative will help with economic developments in countries along the route, eradicating the root of terrorism and extremism."