People dance at Liuxing street in Yining, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Sept 29, 2021. (ZOU HONG / CHINA DAILY)
The United States and its allies have been fabricating lies and accusing China of committing "genocide", using "forced labor", and imposing "birth control" and other "draconian" measures on Uygurs in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in order to interfere in China's internal affairs.
The London-based so-called Uyghur Tribunal's "ruling" on Thursday that China had committed "genocide" against the Uygur people is an addition to the anti-China farce being played out in the West.
The tribunal, given its pretentious name, could trick people into believing it is a special judicial organ. In truth, it is a private limited company that has nothing to do with the International Court of Justice or international law. It does not even measure up to the "regulations and trustee council that legal entities should possess" as stipulated in the Charities Act 2011 of the United Kingdom.
Contrary to its claimed commitment to non-violence methods to promote “democracy”, human rights and Uygur people’s freedom, the WUC has conducted a series of activities creating chaos in Xinjiang
The chair of the tribunal, Geoffrey Nice, was once a British agent whose primary job was to manufacture accusations against the geopolitical targets of the UK and the US. He "directed" another farce in 2019 as chair of the so-called China Tribunal to attack China.
The institutions and individuals associated with the tribunal are rumormongers who are past masters at smearing China. They include the Australian Strategic Policy Research Institute, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and anti-China academics Adrian Zenz and James A. Millward. And the "victims" including Mihrigul Tursun, Zumrat Dawut, and Tursunay Ziawudun are mere actors trained by the anti-China forces.
The alleged "witnesses" including Dolqun Isa have long been involved in separatist and terrorist activities in Xinjiang. Some reports even say the "witnesses" get paid for appearing for "court hearings". One such "witness" surnamed Wang was paid£43,000($56,898), according to reports, for taking the stand and claiming to be a former policeman who was sent to Xinjiang to investigate secessionist activities. Not surprisingly, he has spread false information on Xinjiang.
More important, since the so-called Uyghur Tribunal has no right to impose sanctions on any entity, it has said its aim is to "convict" China for "genocide", "forced labor" and "birth control" through "assessment of evidence".
It has threatened to drag China to an international court, though, including the International Court of Justice. All that the so-called tribunal wants to do is to bring shame upon China and interfere in its internal affairs.
Also, behind the tribunal, we can see the hand of the World Uyghur Congress, which has turned against its own country and people.
The "Uyghur Tribunal" was officially launched in September 2020 at the request of the World Uyghur Congress, which has provided£100,000, about 35 percent of the tribunal's total spending. The WUC members have also played a big part in the tribunal's hearings. Dolqun Isa, a WUC leader whom China has declared a terrorist, was one of the "witnesses" at the tribunal hearing.
Contrary to its claimed commitment to nonviolence methods to promote "democracy", human rights and Uygur people's freedom, the WUC has conducted a series of activities creating chaos in Xinjiang. It even colluded with the Eastern Turkestan Islamic Movement to fuel terrorist and separatist activities.
However, secessionist outfits like the First East Turkestan Republic and East Turkestan People's Revolutionary Party have all failed to achieve their nefarious goals. The WUC, knowing it cannot split China, has turned to the anti-China forces overseas to spread the separatist movement globally. The WUC has been helping anti-China forces to contain the rise of China, hoping to get their sympathy and support in return, while the anti-China forces have been using it as a pawn in their geopolitical game to prevent China from realizing national rejuvenation.
It is clear that neither the overseas anti-China forces nor the WUC are protectors of the Uygur people and their interests. In fact, by manufacturing rumors of "genocide" and "forced labor", they are depriving the Uygur people from seeking employment and availing themselves of the development opportunities.
As for the anti-China forces, they should realize an increasing number of people have seen through their lies, which means the conspiracy to contain China's rise will never succeed.
The author is executive director of the Center for National Security Studies, School of Politics and International Relations of Lanzhou University.
The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.