Beijing has notably received support from traditional allies, such as Cuba and Venezuela, but also from Pakistan, Indonesia and Qatar.
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The UN refused Thursday, October 6 to discuss the abuses of which Beijing is accused in its Xinjiang province. A victory for China and a setback for the United States, which sees in it an admission of paralysis of the Human Rights Council. “This is a victory for developing countries and a victory for truth and justice”wrote Hua Chunying, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Twitter.
“Human rights should not be used as a pretext to fabricate lies and interfere in the internal affairs of other countries”, she added. It was the first time in the history of the highest UN human rights body, created in 2006, that a text targeted China. The 47 member states had to say whether they agreed to organize a debate on the Uyghur autonomous region of Xinjiang, in northwestern China, where Beijing is accused of crimes against humanity.
“The United States condemns today’s vote”said the American ambassador to the Council, Michèle Taylor, in a tweet. “Inaction” advice “shamefully seems to indicate that some countries are (…) allowed to violate human rights with impunity”.
The US condemns today’s #HRC51 vote preventing a discussion about #Xinjiang at the HRC. Inaction following the @UNHumanRights High Commissioner’s independent assessment shamefully suggests some countries are free from scrutiny and allowed to violate human rights with impunity. pic.twitter.com/940sX1wya7
— Ambassador Michele Taylor (@USAmbHRC) October 6, 2022
The draft debate, which had been presented by ten member countries of the Council, including the United States and the United Kingdom, was rejected by 19 countries, while 17 were in favor and 11 abstained. Beijing has received support from traditional allies, such as Cuba and Venezuela, but also from Pakistan, Indonesia and Qatar, as well as many African countries.