Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian

China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday denounced US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's groundless accusations of human rights volitions during his  visit to the International Republican Institute (IRI) where he called on US' European allies and the US-funded IRI to unify against China.

The IRI, which has been subject to sanctions by China since December 2019, is notorious for churning out anti-China propaganda and interfering in other countries' internal affairs.

Pompeo recognized IRI's role in last year's Hong Kong riots, and appealed to institutions like IRI to stand up for "the not-yet free" wherever they can to counter China and the Communist Party of China (CPC).

In response Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Thursday called out the US for its "terrible record on human rights and religious freedoms."

While the IRI claims to be a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, it accepts money from the US State Department and US Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID is a federal government organ that has advanced US foreign policies such as promoting free markets and "democracy" since the 1980s. 

The IRI's promotion of US values and ideologies is always linked to attacks on China's human rights issues. 

In May 2020, David Shullman, an IRI spokesperson accused China of promoting a "model of authoritarian governance" which is counter to US-style democracy, and vilified China's efforts to protect its citizens in its own way.

The IRI's meddling in political issues in other countries is well-known and widespread. The French documentary Back of Colour Reveloution (2007) revealed government-backed institutions such as the IRI and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) instigated unrest that helped to topple regimes in Serbia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and other countries.

In 2003, the IRI was strongly criticized for interfering in Cambodia's political process. Analysts questioned the credibility of IRI's activities as an election observer, saying  it showed a distinct bias toward the Sam Rainsy Party that was aimed at undermining the electoral prospects of the Cambodian People's Party.

"A critical 16-page report on the IRI, [showed] it often sided with the Sam Rainsy Party during the election and misrepresented the political situation in Cambodia," despite its claim to neutrality, said Raoul Jenna, an observer of Cambodian politics.

According to the Cambodia Daily, the IRI has been conducting political training in Cambodia to various parties since 1993, and it has long supported opposition parties to serve as a counterweight to the Cambodian People's Party.

"There have been numerous scandals involving racial discrimination, police brutality and prisoner abuse. US gun violence and crime rate has been the highest in the world for years, causing thousands of deaths per year," Zhao said, hitting back at Pompeo's accusation and his narcissistic attitude on US' human rights situation. 

Religious intolerance in the US is also worrying, said Zhao. "What right does the US have to make wanton accusations against other countries?" he said.

"We urge Pompeo to respect the facts and stop fabricating all kinds of China-related lies. Otherwise, he will only further damage his own credibility and the image and interests of the US," Zhao said.