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Police chief lashes out at ‘attempts to use Xinjiang to contain China’
- Zhao Kezhi made the remarks on a visit to the region, saying cooperation on counterterrorism must be stepped up
- Beijing is facing mounting pressure and sanctions over its treatment of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang
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China’s police chief has hit out at what he called efforts to use Xinjiang to contain Beijing, as the Communist Party comes under growing pressure over its treatment of ethnic minorities in the region.
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“[We] must step up international cooperation on counterterrorism and resolutely stop attempts to use Xinjiang to contain China and attempts to use terrorism to contain China,” Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi said, according to a statement from the ministry on Thursday.
He was speaking during a five-day trip to Xinjiang that wrapped up on Wednesday, repeating a line that has been used in Chinese state media to refer to Western sanctions.
Zhao also called for improved security measures to ensure stability in the far western region for the party’s upcoming centenary on July 1.
Tensions have escalated between Beijing and Western allies this week after the US, European Union, Canada and Britain imposed sanctions on China over its alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and China responded with its own sanctions on EU officials.
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In China, there has been a backlash on social media, with calls for a boycott of companies – including Swedish clothing retailer H&M and American sports brand Nike – that say they will not use cotton from Xinjiang amid claims of genocide and forced labour in the region.
02:38
Global brands face backlash in China for rejecting Xinjiang cotton
Global brands face backlash in China for rejecting Xinjiang cotton
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