China slams British labeling of 'genocide' over its Xinjiang policy

The Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom (UK) on Friday slammed a motion in the House of Commons claiming a "genocide" in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, saying this was a "flat-out lie" that violates international laws.

In a statement posted on the embassy's website, a spokesperson said the motion was aimed at "discrediting and attacking China," and that China strongly opposes and condemns the move.

The statement pointed out that "genocide" is defined as a severe international crime tied to "authoritative, stern and inflexible procedural rules," thus no single country or organization can arbitrarily conclude that another country has committed "genocide."

The spokesperson added that passing the motion "blatantly interfered" in China's internal affairs and China remains unwavering in its determination to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests. The embassy also urged the UK to take concrete measures to respect China's core interests.

The statement provided statistics regarding the development of Xinjiang, noting that the Uygur population in the region increased from approximately 10 million to over 12 million between 2010 and 2018, a hike of over 25 percent, much higher than the growth rate of China's majority Han ethnic group.

The spoken and written languages, traditional cultures and customs of all ethnic groups are well protected and supported, the statement also said.