Citizens shop in the International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on May 2, 2019. Photo: cnsphoto

US State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Tuesday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the State Department continued the determination that China committed genocide in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Blinken once said during his confirmation hearing that he agreed with Mike Pompeo on his determination about Xinjiang. This is not the first time the State Department has confirmed Blinken's position.

This, of course, is absolutely unacceptable to China. The US has only made general remarks so far, and the new administration has yet to form a formal policy toward Xinjiang. What is certain is that China will firmly resist and counter any so-called sanctions imposed by the US.

The US is good at hyping the disguised label of "Xinjiang genocide." Especially before the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, the public opinion of the Five Eyes alliance and the US Congress work together, with some officials playing a role, their public opinion could easily reach the desired heat. China must be prepared for a long battle. China must be prepared for a long battle.

China and US political elites are apples and oranges on the Xinjiang issue, and have no basis for communication. China needs to speed up the opening of Xinjiang to the international community, use facts to consolidate the understanding of developing countries on China's governance in Xinjiang, and prevent the officials of the United Nations Human Rights Council from being kidnapped by opinion of the US and the West. In addition, China needs to explore ways to enhance the willingness of non-extreme anti-China people in the West to put themselves in China's shoes.

The need to strengthen governance in Xinjiang is very practical, and the actual effects it has produced are beneficial. These outstanding facts are beyond doubt, and they are very solid in moral foundation. 

We should bravely engage in a debate with the most extreme forces in the West in the arena of international public opinion, not to persuade those hardcore anti-China forces, but to let the world public know the facts of China's governance on Xinjiang, and to counter the hypocritical rhetoric of the US and Western political elites.

The accusations made by the US and the West against Xinjiang are fragile in logic and can be broken easily with just one prod. That logic set is very suitable for them to hype in their closed loop of public opinion. They appeared to be compassionate, very deceptive. But they are least able to debate face-to-face, most afraid of fact-based exchange.

The violent and terror activities in Xinjiang a few years ago went almost out of control. Should it be stopped with strong measures? China's results-oriented Xinjiang governance has achieved the goal of peace and stability, and Xinjiang hasn't reported terror attacks for several years. Such a Xinjiang or Chechnya and Syria-like Xinjiang, which one can better protect human rights?

If they say what Xinjiang did was wrong, then do they have a plausible way which can eradicate terrorism and ensure Xinjiang is not made into a hell of human rights at the same time? Have they ever been successful in governance in Iraq, Libya or Syria? The political virus they spread to the world is as detrimental as the novel coronavirus.

China should engage with the US in this opinion war and be creative. The Five Eyes alliance finding fault with China over Xinjiang affairs is out of geopolitical reasons. It is different from some Europeans who disagree with China. The fiercer China and the Five Eyes clash over Xinjiang governance, the more the international community will understand what exactly Xinjiang affairs are about. Even Islamic countries do not speak out. The fault-finding Five Eyes are making a fuss.

The more chaotic the opinion war is, the more clueless Washington and the Five Eyes alliance will become. Now that Washington has labeled China's Xinjiang policy as "genocide," China has nothing to lose in this opinion war. China should adopt all kinds of opinion resources and means to make counterattacks.

After all, China should have the confidence that Xinjiang is under China's governance, and after years of struggle, the channels through which Western and foreign forces could infiltrate Xinjiang have been blocked. As China squabbles with the US-led West, the situation in Xinjiang gets better and consolidated, which serves as strong evidence. China has already won the governance - this is the ultimate goal of all opinion wars. And we won't lose in the opinion war.