China refutes US report on international religious freedom
(MENAFN) On Monday, China issued a firm rebuttal to the United States over its recently released report on international religious freedom, urging the US to refrain from meddling in its internal affairs under the guise of religious issues.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning categorically dismissed the US State Department's 2023 International Religious Freedom Report as baseless and biased. Mao criticized the report, accusing it of being rife with falsehoods, disinformation, and ideological biases that distort China's religious policies.
"The Chinese government vehemently opposes the US report, which lacks factual basis and fabricates allegations against China's treatment of religious minorities," Mao stated during a news conference. She emphasized that China upholds citizens' religious freedom as enshrined by law, highlighting statistics such as nearly 200 million religious believers, over 380,000 clerical personnel, and thousands of registered religious groups and places of worship across the country.
Regarding the contentious issue of Xinjiang and allegations of genocide against ethnic Uyghurs, Mao refuted these claims as outright lies propagated by the US. She pointed to census data showing significant population growth among Uyghurs in Xinjiang from 1953 to 2020, arguing that these figures contradict allegations of genocide.
Mao also turned the spotlight on the US, accusing it of hypocrisy in its own religious practices. She cited instances of religious discrimination, scandals involving religious figures, and erosion of religious freedoms within the US itself. Mao asserted that the US lacks credibility to critique other nations' religious situations and should instead focus on addressing its domestic issues.
In conclusion, China called on the US to respect factual accuracy, correct its misrepresentations, and refrain from politicizing religious matters to interfere in China's internal affairs.
The exchange underscores ongoing tensions between the US and China over human rights and geopolitical issues, reflecting broader challenges in bilateral relations.
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