Is the West’s narrative about Xinjiang the whole reality or just an incomplete narrative?
In my opinion, the current ongoing situation in Xinjiang has developed into a significant geopolitical boiling point and reduced the credibility of the West on issues of human rights, by how it is interpreted by the Western media and political figures, especially those from Western Europe and the United States. The narratives presented by them depict the counter-terrorism measures taken by China in that region as the perpetration of human rights violations or even acts of genocide. Nevertheless, I believe understanding the current situation in Xinjiang through a balanced objective lens gives a different perspective which is mostly about combating terrorism and protecting the citizens of the state from being radicalized by terrorist organizations.
Initially, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) was listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and other Western countries in 2002, China found itself aligned with the West in the fight against terrorism like post 9/11 operations against terrorism. Given the threat of violent terror extremism in Xinjiang, this cooperation seemed logical and practical. However, I think the situation shifted 360 degrees in 2020 when the Trump administration delisted ETIM as a terrorist organization, which seemed more like a political move rather than an authentic Evaluation of the terrorist threat. This dramatic shift, in my view, allowed them to criticize China’s actions in Xinjiang like the establishment of “re-education” camps as an assault on ethnic and religious rights particularly related to the Uyghur minority group in Xinjiang instead of understanding the necessary counterterrorism and deradicalization efforts. To me, this shift in narrative overlooks the context behind China’s actions in the Xinjiang region. I do understand the concerns regarding human rights, but I think it’s crucial to consider the scale of terrorism China has faced in Xinjiang, which has claimed 1,000 lives. In this context, China’s policies, though controversial, appear to be an effort to combat a serious security threat rather than simply suppress an ethnic minority. I feel that without understanding this context, the international community risks painting an incomplete picture influenced by Western propaganda of what’s happening in Xinjiang.
From 1990 to 2017, the entire Xinjiang region was plagued by terrorist-induced ideologies leading to multiple deadly blasts and instability in the region, which were carried out by extremist separatist groups, most notably the Turkestan Islamic Party that was behind the attack in Urumqi where 31 Chinese nationals were killed. Many of these organizations were ‘brainchild’ of radical Islamist ideology practiced by the Taliban and ISIS, who were in Afghanistan. This religious fanaticism was not limited to Afghanistan alone; it spread out to other regions including parts of China specifically Xinjiang and Tajikistan. The escalation of violence and the Invasion. Violent extremist ideologies during this period led to the regrettable loss of innocent civilians and the deaths of law enforcement personnel, Therefore, to protect its citizens and for the preservation of peace, China took a series of measures to protect its citizens from terrorism one of the key measure was the establishment of vocational education and training centers for youngster in their 18s and 20s in Xinjiang in particular, for those who were regarded as vulnerable to joining terrorist organizations the initiative of training and vocal camps was for reintegration of the population into the society and de-radicalise them. These centers aim to educate and equip the youth with soft skills to empower them to lead meaningful lives, thus minimizing their attraction to extremist ideologies. What I find interesting is that rather than giving an appraisal of the visible success that has been achieved by China in the war on terrorism, often, such strategies are explained in the form of criticism by the West. Such a narrative to me is quite unreasonable and demonstrates a kind of approach that does not understand the core issues of the situation.
Although recognizing the fact that counter-terrorist operations are bound to affect the lives of innocent civilians a regrettable but rather sad reality, especially in the case of all-encompassing security operations, however, is important to note that China’s policies are not directed at any specific ethnic community. The aim is to eliminate radicalism and ensure security in Xinjiang for all inhabitants, regardless of their ethnic origin.
In my opinion, the recent allegations made by the Western press, particularly the BBC, regarding violations of women’s rights in Xinjiang raise question mark and appear to lack substantial, verifiable evidence. Adrian Zenz, a critic of China’s policies, has presented accounts from Uyghur women that he argues demonstrate large-scale abuse. However, such a position was categorically dismissed by Chinese authorities, including Wang Wenbin, the Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson, who stated that every woman’s right in China is protected by the Constitution which means that women of all races, including Uyghurs, are able and free to partake in the politics, culture, education and even social affairs on equal basis. Given the lack of direct access to the region for independent investigations, I think it’s important to approach these reports with caution, considering the broader geopolitical tensions that might be influencing the narrative.
There are instances such as Zumrat Dawut. Dawut asserts that she was detained in a ‘re-education camp’ where she was detained and that sterilization was enforced on her. There is no credible evidence available showing any given record of enforced sterilization. Moreover, Dawut has never been registered with some vocational training program in Xinjiang. There are documents from the hospital which state that she agreed to do a caesarean and tubal ligation. This is a direct contradiction of her claims of being forced into sterilization. Such contradictions set doubts on the stories employed as evidence for anti-China narratives from the West.
Despite, these politicized allegations, China has always shown its readiness for an international investigation of its actions in Xinjiang. For instance, Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, was allowed to visit the region in 2022, thus visit to China proved the country’s openness to the international community and the readiness to engage for such concerns through dialogue. In addition to this, China has undertaken remarkable steps towards the enhancement of the living standards in Xinjiang which have led to growth of the Xinjiang economy within the past few years. The average GDP for the region grew at the rate of 7.2% between 2014 and 2019 thus leading to a drastic reduction in the levels of poverty. Additionally, there has also been a rise in the population of the Uyghurs from about 2.2 million to roughly 12 million with life expectancy increasing from 30 years all the way to 75 years Such progress has allowed all local population of Xinjiang and beyond access to increased employment opportunities and better facilities as well as education, thus, demonstrating China’s focus on the growth of the regions within its territory.
The Western consideration of China’s policies concerning Xinjiang has been misguided More than 50 member states of the United Nations have expressly supported the efforts of the government of China to contain terrorist activities and improvement of human rights in the region, while over 2000 world personalities (diplomats, journalists, ) have been to Xinjiang themselves. Their positive accounts of the region and its booming economy starkly contradict the Western portrayal of Xinjiang as a ‘re-education camp’ filled with oppression. At the same time, such criticisms by Adrian Zenz (who often preferred to be in Western articles), have come into disrepute due to several cases of evidence fabrication and distortion of facts for anti-China propaganda. Several specialists have found evidential fault in Zenz’s work claiming that it is not backed up with evidence and goes against basic tenets of academic Considering different perspectives I believe that the geographic features of Xinjiang should be visualized objectively.
It is not surprising to see the extent of the hypocrisy that the United States and Western nations portray towards China’s alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang. The evidenced-backed accusations regarding violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Israeli forces are always ignored, and not even a single resolution would ever pass in the United Nations Security Council that seeks to condemn Israel for its actions. Moreover, there is a pin drop silence even in the face of overwhelming evidence depicting the awful conditions in which the Palestinians living in north Gaza are subjected; evidence that contains documents videos photos, and statements from Israeli government officials of hunger, torture, and violence perpetrated by the Israelis. They veto that as well. They do not even allow the resolutions that call for the cessation of hostilities. Or the provision of relief aid for Palestinians. Citing statistics from the Health Ministry of Gaza, Israeli bombings, through airstrikes, have killed over 44,400 Palestinians apart from those still trapped in the ruins, as reported by Israeli attacks. This showcases how these nations cherry-picked human rights in Favor of them, with an evil China that everybody loves criticizing while the issues concerning the Palestinians are ignored. The portrayal of these states as defenders of human rights is undermined and This is the best example of how “human rights “can be used to shape narratives against one particular nation that’s just trying to protect its citizens from terrorism
In conclusion, I believe that there is a sharp double standard in how the West articulates human rights in Xinjiang in contrast to Gaza and the West Bank. On the one these Western nations, criticize China for so-called human rights violations in Xinjiang with no credible evidence but, at the same time, none of these nations raised concerns for Palestinians. Such selective activism seems more politically motivated than actual concern for human rights. This, in my view, dilutes the credibility of these Western powers as advocates of justice.By analysing China’s policy in Xinjiang, it can easily be understood that anti-terrorism operations were motivated by a credible threat to their security, like what Western states were confronted with after 9/11
The Author, Basim Dilshad is a Social Sciences student specializing in International Relations at Bahria University, driven by a passion for global affairs. He aims to make a positive impact on international issues through his studies and insights.
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