China's foreign minister: Uighur genocide accusations a 'complete lie'

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday denied allegations that his country is carrying out genocide against the Uighur population in the northwestern Xinjiang province. "The so-called 'genocide' in Xinjiang is ridiculously absurd," Wang said during his annual news conference. "It is a rumor with ulterior motives and a complete lie."

Several countries, including the United States, have used the term to describe Beijing's human rights abuses against Uighurs, an ethnic minority that largely practices Islam, and Wang attempted to flip the script by focusing on past genocides and injustices in those countries. "When it comes to 'genocide,' most people think of native North Americans in the 16th century, African slaves in the 19th century, Jews in the 20th century, and the indigenous Australians who are still fighting today," he was quoted as saying.

China claims that Uighurs have been placed in "re-education camps" that provide vocational training and are designed to eradicate extremism, but there is growing evidence that allegations of forced labor and sterilization and systematic rape and torture at the concentration camps are legitimate.

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In addition to the genocide denial, Wang defended China's plans to reform Hong Kong's electoral system, which critics believe will ensure Beijing loyalists are in charge, and he also called on the U.S. to remove "unreasonable" curbs on China to improve bilateral cooperation. Read more at BBC and Reuters.