Showroom of Tesla in Urumqi, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Photo: Weibo account of Tesla

 
The US shouldn't turn a blind eye to Xinjiang's social and economic achievements, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Thursday, hitting back at criticism that targets Tesla's new showroom in Xinjiang.

In response to a request for comment on US electric carmaker Tesla's recent opening of a new showroom in Urumqi city, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which has drawn criticism from some politicians in the US, Wang told a regular media briefing that since December 2018, more than 2,000 experts, scholars, journalists and diplomats from 100-plus countries and regions have paid visits to Xinjiang. 

They have witnessed Xinjiang's development achievements, including social tranquility, economic prosperity and ethnic harmony, to which the US turns a blind eye, Wang said. He cited nearly 100 countries that endorsed China's stance on the issues related to Xinjiang and opposed malicious and groundless accusations against China based on political motives and disinformation at the UN Human Rights Council's 46th, 47th and 48th sessions and at the 76th session of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly.

Media outlets and scholars from a number of countries including France, Russia, Sweden, the US, Japan and Australia have published articles explaining that the so-called "forced labor" and "genocide" in Xinjiang are utter lies made up by the US on the basis of China-targeted prejudice and hostility, the spokesperson said.

Such lies are intended to contain China, and to undermine Xinjiang's ethnic unity and stable development, rather than protect human rights, he stated, noting that the US' fabrication of Xinjiang-related lies would only expose its hypocritical intention on the excuse of protecting human rights and precipitate the demise of its positioning as a defender of human rights. 

Also on Thursday, Wang said that a delegation from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that toured Xinjiang via video link on Wednesday, in addition to two previous visits to Xinjiang by delegations organized by the OIC, which reiterated the organization's objective and impartial input on Xinjiang-related issues, fully indicates that the Islamic world has a discerning eye.

Xinjiang-related lies faked by individual countries can't mask Xinjiang's stability, tranquility, prosperous development and religious harmony, he stressed.

"We sincerely welcome friends from all countries to pay 'cloud-based' or physical visits to Xinjiang and experience this good place."

Global Times