On 29 Dec., The Scotsman published a letter from Consul General Ma Qiang on Xinjiang-related issues. The full text is as follows:

I refer to David Tobin’s article on 17/12/21“How Tribunal came to rule that China is guilty of genocide”. In fact, this so-called “Uygur Tribunal” and the accusation of genocide, has no legal standing in the UK nor internationally.

Xinjiang is a wonderful multi-ethnic region of China and the Uygurs are a highly valued community. Unfortunately, militant separatists acting under the guise of religion succumbed to acts of terrorism.

Since 1990s, thousands of terrorist atrocities were inflicted on the people of Xinjiang, with many inhabitants coerced or enticed to engage in terrorist and extremist activities.  

Like in other regions of the world, China took necessary measures, including vocational education and training centers, to stem these atrocities. As a result of these measures, the lives of ordinary people in Xinjiang have greatly improved and we have seen no violent terrorist atrocities over the last 5 years.

Over the past 60 years, Xinjiang’s GDP has surged by more than 200 times. All 3.09 million impoverished people in Xinjiang have been lifted out of poverty.

From 1950s to 2020, the Uygur population increased from 3.6 million to 11.6 million.

Over 10 spoken and written languages of different ethnic groups are used, with local broadcasting service offering 12 radio channels in 5 languages, including Uygur and Kazak.

The Chinese Constitution makes it clear that people of all ethnic groups are equal members of the larger family of China and the government implements favorable policies for all our ethnic minorities.

Being a member of Hui people, another Chinese ethnic minority, I have witnessed the world’s most successful implementation of ethnic policies in China. As President Xi Jinping stated, people of all ethnic groups remain closely united like seeds of a pomegranate.

A lie has speed, but truth has endurance. The liars’attempt is doomed to fail.