The Chinese government says a motion passed by lawmakers on Wednesday to grant asylum to persecuted Uyghurs amounts to political manipulation by Canada.
MPs, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, unanimously called on Ottawa to devise a program that would bring 10,000 people of Turkish descent, including Uyghurs, to Canada from countries other than China.
They passed a motion acknowledging reports that Uyghurs outside China have been sent back to their country of birth, where they have been arrested as part of Beijing’s crackdown on Muslim groups.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in Beijing that people in the Xinjiang region live in peace and harmony, contradicting widespread reports of forced labor and sexual violence.
An English translation from the ministry says Canada should “stop politically manipulating Xinjiang-related issues for hidden purposes”, and that Ottawa is “spreading disinformation and misleading the public”.
The non-binding motion said the government should outline a resettlement program by autumn that would start in 2024 and reach its target within two years.
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