China envoy vows ‘fight’ over alleged Xinjiang rights abuses

By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — An envoy from China’s Xinjiang province says Chinese authorities are ready for a “fight” with “anti-China” critics in the West and elsewhere over allegations of rights abuses in the anti-extremism campaign against Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic groups in the region. Xinjiang government spokesman Xu Guixiang said Thursday that Chinese authorities won’t be afraid if critics attempt to use the ongoing Human Rights Council meeting to seek enhanced scrutiny of the situation in Xinjiang. Xu is leading a team that has traveled to Geneva to press their defense and meet with U.N. officials and diplomats at the council.