Switzerland demands more efforts from China on human rights
Published: Tuesday, Jan 23rd 2024, 13:10
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Switzerland is calling on China to make more efforts in the area of human rights. In particular, it called on the United Nations in Geneva to investigate the arbitrary detention of members of the Muslim minority in the western Chinese province of Xinjiang.
For the first time since 2018, China had to face a hearing on human rights in front of all UN member states on Tuesday. One week after Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang's visit to Bern, a Swiss UN representative called on Beijing to implement the recommendations of Michelle Bachelet, the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, for Xinjiang.
Over one million Uyghurs are imprisoned in camps in the province. Beijing describes the members of the country's Muslim minority as terrorists. Li Qiang is considered responsible for the policy of repression.
Switzerland also called on China to protect the Tibetan minority on Tuesday. In addition, it must "bring the treatment of human rights activists and the security law in Hong Kong into line with international law".
China was supported at the meeting by its allies and certain developing countries. The majority of Western states demanded an end to the persecution of minorities, particularly in Xinjiang. The USA continued to describe the actions there as genocide. Forced labor, the death penalty and enforced disappearances are also among the accusations.
Chen Xu, the Chinese ambassador to the UN in Geneva, and his large delegation held out the prospect of improvements. These would range from the housing situation of older people in rural areas to labor and disability rights and measures to combat climate change.
In China, all citizens have access to human rights, Chen Xu continued. A member of the delegation responsible for Hong Kong stated that order had been restored there.
Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis is traveling to China in February. He wants to persuade the regime to take part in the peace conference launched by President Viola Amherd together with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. Bern also wants to modernize the free trade agreement with China.
©Keystone/SDA
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