China summons U.S. embassy official, protests against U.S. House approval of Xinjiang-related bill

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Wednesday summoned William Klein, acting deputy chief of the Mission of the U.S. Embassy in China, to lodge stern representation and strong protest against the passing of a Xinjiang-related bill by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Qin said China strongly urges the U.S. side to immediately correct its mistakes, abandon double standards on anti-terrorism issues, prevent the bill from becoming law and stop interfering in China's internal affairs by using Xinjiang-related issues.

"China will respond further according to the development of the situation," said Qin.

He said Xinjiang is a part of China, and Xinjiang-related affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which brook no foreign interference.

Qin said China's counter-terrorism and deradicalization measures in Xinjiang according to the law were distorted as human rights violations in the so-called "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019."

The move of the U.S. side disregarded facts, reversed right and wrong, violated conscience and practiced double standards on counter-terrorism issues, he said, noting the U.S. actions seriously violated international law and basic principles of international relations, and grossly interfered in China's internal affairs.

Qin said China's determination to defend national sovereignty, security and development interests is unwavering. Any attempt to sour China's ethnic relations, undermine Xinjiang's prosperity and stability and contain China's development is doomed to fail.

Editor: John Li