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Responding to an inquiry to Intel and NVIDIA CEOs by US Senator Marco Rubio on the sale of advanced computer chips that allegedly power a so-called supercomputer used in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying denounced such a claim, saying the US politician has no sincerity. 

"People all know Rubio's consistent anti-China mindset. He is keen on making up a variety of lies to smear China in order to seek personal gains from politics. He has no political sincerity at all," Hua told daily briefing on Thursday. 

People feed pigeons amid snow on a square in downtown Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Nov. 21, 2020. (Xinhua/Gao Han)

Using modern technology and big data to improve social governance is an established practice in global society, Hua noted. 

"The legal installment of CCTV cameras in relevant public places in Xinjiang does not target any particular ethnic minority group. The aim is to improve social governance, prevent and fight crime effectively," the spokesperson said, adding that such measures in fact increased social stability and have won general support from local ethnic groups. 

Citing media reports and relevant statistics, Hua said the US' use of mass surveillance has been criticized by the world. 

According to US media, the US government in 2017 asked 20 US airports to scan all passengers using technology for facial recognition. 

The FBI's facial recognition office was able to search databases with more than 641 million photos, including 21 state databases, a report by the US Government Accountability Office showed on June 4, 2019. 

A report by The Guardian on July 17 also said that at least one in four law enforcement agencies in the US are able to use facial recognition technology. "In New York City alone, the NYPD used facial recognition more than 8,000 times last year, including in conjunction with its so-called 'gang database' of 42,000 New Yorkers, overwhelmingly New Yorkers of color," said the report. 

Hua urged the US to give up its double standards, stop political manipulation, stop making up lies about Xinjiang and stop interfering in China's internal affairs. 

Global Times