Chinese Official Defends Ethnic Policies After Xinjiang Riots

A senior Chinese official is defending China’s ethnic minority policies.  He says they played no role in the deadly riots earlier this month that left as many as hundreds of people dead in China’s western Xinjiang region.

Wu Shimin, vice-minister of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission told reporters in Beijing that the CCP’s policies, quote, „had nothing to do with“ the violence that unfolded on the streets of the capital Urumqi.

But China analysts and human rights groups like Amnesty International say China’s policies have directly contributed to ethnic tensions in the region—tensions that exploded during the July riots.

An Amnesty report from April this year said, quote, “The ethnic identity of Uighurs in western China is being systematically eroded.” China’s policies include: limiting use of the Uighur language, placing heavy restrictions on religion, and bringing Han Chinese migrants into the region.

(NTDTV)