Tourists and locals walk through the old town of Kashi in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on June 18, 2024. The old town of Kashi is home to one of the largest surviving earthen buildings in the world, the oldest of which can date back more than 400 years. It is also one of top travel destinations in Xinjiang. Photo: VCG

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday called on the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to fulfill its mandate in a just and objective manner, respect countries' sovereignty, respect facts, conduct constructive dialogue and cooperation with countries, after the office released an updated report on Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. 

On Tuesday, the OHCHR released an update to its previous "report" on Xinjiang two years ago, claiming that China still has "many problematic laws and policies" regarding the Xinjiang region. On August 31, 2022, the OHCHR released a so-called report on the human rights situation in China's Xinjiang region, which China denounced, saying it was completely invalid and was a political tool serving the US and some Western forces to contain China. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press conference on Wednesday that the OHCHR should reject acts that politicize human rights or stoke division and confrontation, and refrain from being used by political forces aiming at containing and vilifying China.

The release of the OHCHR update was quickly picked up by Western media, with some anti-China forces seizing the opportunity to again sensationalize accusations of "crimes against humanity" against China. 

Analysts said that the "report," which was released by former High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet on her last day in office in 2022, was issued under significant pressure from Western countries and the US. Now, anti-China forces are employing the same tactics, using the so-called two-year anniversary to criticize China's human rights record, aiming to reinforce stereotypes and deepen negative perceptions of China.

Wang Jiang, deputy dean of the Institute of China's Borderland Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, said that in recent years, counter-terrorism efforts in Xinjiang region have yielded significant achievements. One of the most notable changes is in the mindset of local residents - they are no longer burdened by the anxiety of terrorism and are fully enjoying the benefits of social stability. 

The happiness and relaxation on local residents' faces are evident to every visitor to the region, Wang said, noting that with the increasing number of foreign diplomats, media representatives and tourists visiting Xinjiang, the truth about the region is becoming more widely known to the outside world.