The predominantly Muslim Uighur ethnic group are among the minorities targeted in what Beijing claims is a campaign to tackle unrest and separatism. The UN says a million Uighurs have been arbitrarily detained in extralegal “political reeducation camps,” whilst Human Rights Watch reports that surveillance and repression in Xinjiang has increased dramatically since 2016.
LATEST NEWS & VIEWS
UK involvement in Hong Kong ‘seriously poisoned’ relations – China ambassador
Britain’s “interventions” in Hong Kong have “seriously poisoned the atmosphere” of relations with China, Beijing’s ambassador in London warned on Thursday. Liu Xiaoming also accused Western powers and media of spreading “the lies of the century” in their reporting of the treatment of Uighur Muslims in China. “China has done nothing to weaken the mutual trust, we see […]
China foreign minister slams US ‘reckless provocation’ after consulate closures
China’s foreign minister on Tuesday slammed the US for “reckless provocation of confrontation” after both sides ordered tit-for-tat closures of each other’s consulates, but called for “rational communication” between the two powers. Wang Yi warned in a call with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian that China-US relations could “fall into the abyss of confrontation”, according […]
COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS
July 5, 2009: The day I became a second-class citizen
By Zumretay Arkin The summer of 2009 began like any other, I was excited to spend my first summer in my home country after migrating to Canada, reunite with my family and friends, go to all my favorite places in Urumqi, eat the delicious seasonal fruits, but–most importantly–be in a Uyghur environment. Little did I […]
‘You cannot kill an idea’: Why Hongkongers will fight on
My friend, an ethnic Uighur, was talking about the act of extinguishing a cigarette on facial ID scanners in Xinjiang. “We can’t protest like you in Hong Kong,” he said. “They would just send us to the camps. So when no one’s looking, we extinguish a cigarette on the facial ID scanners at our apartment […]
FEATURES
Exclusive: ‘I am a Hongkonger’ – Artist Ai Weiwei on why he supports the city’s ‘brave, clever, beautiful’ protest movement
Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei made his name in visual arts, film and architecture, before his critical commentary against the Chinese government led to persecution and a trial on allegations of tax evasion. Ai moved to Berlin in 2015, and has become an outspoken advocate for migrants’ rights. During the height of the anti-extradition law […]
Author Louisa Lim: How Beijing uses intimidation to censor the Tiannanmen Massacre outside of China
Although 30 years have passed since the Tiananmen Massacre, the bloody crackdown has become increasingly sensitive for journalists stationed in China to cover. Louisa Lim, a veteran China reporter-turned-scholar, surveyed 60 current and former China-based correspondents and found that three-quarters of those who had covered the anniversary had been on the receiving end of harassment […]
