中国驻英国使馆发言人就涉疆问题答记者问（一）

      记者：近来，数十名宗教领袖发表公开信，称中国穆斯林面临困境。中国驻英国大使馆对此有何回应？

　　使馆发言人：你提到的信的内容纯属造谣污蔑，我们表示强烈不满和坚决反对。

　　中国政府一贯一视同仁地保护少数民族在内的各族人民合法权益。1978年至2018年，新疆地区生产总值由39.07亿元增长至1.2万亿元，人均生产总值由313元增长至4.9万元。1978年至2018年，新疆地区维吾尔族人口已从555万增长到1168万，翻了一番。2010年至2018年，新疆维吾尔族人口的增幅为25.04%，高于全新疆人口的增幅13.99%。所谓的“强制节育”、“种族灭绝”完全是谎言。

　　所谓“新疆近百万维吾尔人被拘押”，是两个反华机构或人员炮制的谣言。幕后黑手之一是美国政府支持的“中国人权捍卫者网络（Chinese Human Rights Defenders，CHRD）”，它仅仅通过对8名维吾尔人的采访和粗略估算，就得出“新疆地区2000多万人口中，10%的人被拘押在‘再教育营’的荒谬结论”。幕后黑手之二是受美国政府资助的极右翼原教旨主义基督徒郑国恩，他在《中亚调查》杂志上发文称，“据估计，新疆在押人员总数超过100万”。据美国独立新闻网站“灰色地带”披露，郑得出这一数字，依据的是总部位于土耳其的一家维吾尔流亡媒体组织——Istiqlal TV的一篇报道，而Istiqlal TV根本不是一家新闻组织，而是推进分离主义、极端主义的组织。郑本人则自认“受上帝的引领”，肩负着反对中国的“使命”。

　　新疆“教培中心”根本不是什么“集中营”或“再教育营”，而是预防性反恐和去极端化的有益尝试和积极探索。这一举措旨在根除极端主义、防止暴力恐怖活动升级，符合《联合国全球反恐战略》等一系列反恐决议的原则和精神，本质上这与英国设立的转化和脱离项目（DDP）、美国推行的“社区矫正”和法国成立的去极端化中心没有什么区别。受极端主义思想影响以及有轻微违法犯罪行为的人员参加教培中心培训，通过学习国家通用语言文字、法律知识、职业技能教育培训，去除极端化思想，掌握劳动技能，不仅使这些学员结业后重返社会，做守法公民，而且自食其力，有了稳定的工作和收入，生活水平明显提高。

　　新疆各族群众正常宗教活动受到法律保护，公民宗教信仰自由得到法律保障。事实是，目前新疆共有清真寺2.44万座，平均每530位穆斯林就拥有一座清真寺，比例高于一些穆斯林国家，也高于英格兰地区人均拥有教堂数量。被诬称“拆除”的叶城县加米清真寺、和田艾提卡尔清真寺等根本未被拆除，而是被修缮后重新使用。

　　运用现代科技产品和大数据方法提升社会治理水平，这是国际社会的通行做法，美国更不例外。新疆依法在有关公共场所安装摄像头，这一措施不针对任何特定民族，目的是为了提高社会治理水平、有效预防打击犯罪。这一措施增强了社会安全感，得到了各族群众的普遍支持。

　　当前，新疆经济持续发展，社会和谐稳定，民生不断改善，文化空前繁荣。新疆各族人民安居乐业，和睦相处，享受着充分的生存权、发展权，宗教信仰自由依法得到保障，正常宗教活动受到法律保护，新疆处于历史最好发展时期。任何谣言都不能抹杀新疆人权事业发展进步的事实，任何图谋都不能干扰新疆发展繁荣的进程。希望大家不要听信反华分子的谣言，不要听信反华政客的蛊惑。

　　以下为刘晓明大使在中外记者会上谈新疆问题的链接，有助于你全面客观地看待有关问题：

http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng/dshdjjh/t1802719.htm

答问英文：

Embassy Spokesperson's Remarks on issues relating to Xinjiang I

Question: A letter signed by religious leaders of different faiths highlighting the plight of the Uyghurs and other Muslims in China. What is the comment of the Chinese Embassy in the UK?

Embassy Spokesperson: The contents of the letter is sheer rumor and smear. We strongly deplore and oppose it.

The Chinese Government protects the lawful rights and interests of people of all ethnic groups, big or small in population. Since the launch of China’s reform and opening-up drive in 1978, Xinjiang’s GDP has soared from RMB3.9 billion to RMB1200 billion in 2018. Its per-capita GDP has grown from RMB313 to RMB49000 in the same period. Between 1978 and 2018, the Uygur population in Xinjiang doubled, from 5.55 million to 11.68 million. From 2010 to 2018, the Uygur population in Xinjiang increased by 25.04%, and that is higher than the growth rate of the whole population in Xinjiang which is 13.99%. The so called genocide and forced sterilization is nothing but a lie.

That "nearly a million Uygurs in Xinjiang are detained" is a lie cooked up by an anti-China organization and an anti-China individual.The organization is the so-called "Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD)" backed by the government of the United States. Armed with interviews with only eight people who are ethnic Uygurs and based on an extremely rough estimation, CHRD reached an absurd conclusion that 10% of the more than 20 million people in Xinjiang are detained at so-called "re-education camps".

The anti-China individual is called Adrian Zenz, a far-right fundamentalist funded by the government of the United States. He published an article on the journal Central Asian Survey, claiming that "Xinjiang's total re-education internment figure may be estimated at just over one million." According to The Grayzone, an independent news website, Zenz's conclusion is based on a single report by Istiqlal TV. This so-called "Uygur exile media organization" based in Turkey is far from being a media organization. Istiqlal TV is an organization that advocates separatism and extremism. And Zenz himself believes that he is "led by God" on a "mission" against China.

There are many rumours and lies about the vocational education and training centres in Xinjiang, calling them "concentration camps" or "re-education camps". The truth is they are none of these. They are useful and positive explorations of preventative and de-radicalisation measures.

The centres were established to address the root causes for extremism and prevent further escalation of violent terrorist activities. They are in line with the principles and the spirit embodied in a number of international documents on counter-terrorism, such as the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. In nature, they are no different from the Desistance and Disengagement Programme (DDP) of the UK, the community corrections in the United States, or the de-radicalisation centres in France.

At the vocational education and training centres, those who have been led astray by extremist ideas or who have committed minor crimes could learn the common language, legal knowledge and vocational skills. Such education and training will strengthen their ability to break away and stay away from extremist ideas and master vocational skills, and help them to not only become law-abiding citizens but also find stable jobs, earn their own living and live a better life.

Xinjiang residents' religious activities and freedom of religious belief are protected by law. The fact is, there are 24,400 mosques in Xinjiang, which means there is on average one mosque for every 530 Muslims. This ratio is higher than that in some Muslim countries and also higher than the number of churches per Christian in England.The Jiami Mosque of Yecheng County and the Id Kah Mosque in Hotan prefecture, which were claimed to have been "dismantled", were in fact renovated and put to use again.

It is a common international practice to use modern scientific and technological products and big data to improve social governance, and the US is no exception. The installation of cameras in public places in accordance with law in Xinjiang doesn't target any specific ethnicity and it aims to improve social governance and prevent and fight crimes. This measure has been widely supported by people of all ethnic groups as it makes society safer.

Xinjiang is now witnessing sustained economic growth, social harmony and stability, improved wellbeing, and unprecedented cultural prosperity. People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are leading a secure life, getting along with each other in harmony, and enjoying full rights to life and development. Their freedom of religious belief and normal religious activities are protected by law. Now is the best time in history for Xinjiang to achieve development.

Rumours will not write off China's progress in safeguarding human rights in Xinjiang. Attempts to disrupt Xinjiang's development and prosperity will never succeed. We hope that you will not believe the rumors or the deceptive words of anti-China elements and politicians.

Ambassador Liu Xiaoming’s remarks on issues relating to Xinjiang are available on the following website. It will help you get a more objective and comprehensive picture:

http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng/dshdjjh/t1802719.htm