Editor's note: Adnan Akfirat is a representative to China, member of  the International Relations Bureau of Patriotic Party of Turkey and chairman of the Turkish-Chinese Business Development and Friendship Association (Turk-Cin Is Der). This article was published in the Turkish language at Aydinlik Daily on February 12, 2021. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The U.S. is using Uygur separatism to destabilize China. The Biden administration has launched a campaign of lies through IYI Party and HDP in order to drive a wedge between Turkey and China. We refute these 10 imperialist lies.

Lie 1: China is committing genocide against Uygurs

Fact: The top official who told this lie is former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The day before leaving the office, Pompeo issued the statement.

According to Li Xiaoxia, special researcher of the Xinjiang Development Research Center, the population of ethnic minorities and the Uygurs in Xinjiang has witnessed steady growth, while that of the Han ethnic group there has slightly increased from 2010 to 2018. In terms of population, from 2010 to 2018, the permanent resident population of Xinjiang increased from 21.8158 million to 24.8676 million, an increase of 3.0518 million, or 13.99 percent. Among them, the population of ethnic minorities increased from 12.9859 million to 15.8608 million, an increase of 2.8749 million, or 22.14 percent; from the perspective of ethnic groups, the Uygur population increased from 10.1715 million to 12.7184 million, an increase of 2.5469 million, or 25.04 percent; the population of the Han ethnic group increased from 8.8299 million to 9.0068 million, an increase of 176,900 people, or 2.0 percent. As can be seen, it is a huge lie that the Uygur population is tried to be eradicated.

Xinjiang has achieved unprecedented success in economic and social development over the past 70 years. The big leap forward has been made in improving the means of livelihood of the Uygurs. The GDP in Xinjiang grew by 7.2 percent from 2014 to 2019, higher than the overall growth rate in China.

Regardless of the population, the rights of all ethnic groups are constitutionally guaranteed in China. All citizens and ethnic communities, regardless of their ethnic origin, have the right to participate in the governance of the state, to enjoy the freedom of belief, to receive education in their own language, to use their own language in broadcasting, to develop their culture and to preserve their traditions. 

Lie 2: China forcibly sterilizes Uygur women

Fact: It was Adrian Zenz, who published reports claiming that the Xinjiang administration imposed "forced sterilization" on Uygur women, which resulted in a sharp decline in the Uygur population.

Attention please, Adrian Zenz is not a "Chinese expert," but a salaried employee of the extreme right, "Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation" supported by the U.S. government, and a famous racist. 

Lin Fangfei, a faculty member of the Politics and Public Administration Department in Xinjiang University, found that Adrian Zenz's "reports" were full of fabrication and data manipulation. As "proof" of forced sterilization, Zenz fabricated that at least 80 percent of the new surgeries of IUD placements in China were performed in Xinjiang in 2018. Moreover, based on this fictitious evidence, he claims that the natural population growth rate in Hotan and Kashgar was only 2.58 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2018. However, Lin found out that according to the official data published by the National Health Commission, in 2018, the new surgeries of IUD placement nationwide was 3,774,318 and it was 328,475 in Xinjiang. Therefore, the new surgeries in Xinjiang only accounted for 8.7 percent of the national total. The 80-percent claim is another outright lie.

Lie 3: China is containing the Uygurs on the pretext of fighting terrorism

Fact: The U.S.-backed Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) carried out thousands of terrorist acts in Xinjiang from 1990 to 2016. They killed numerous innocent civilians and several hundred police officers and caused heavy financial losses. The Chinese government took a series of effective measures to prevent terrorism in the region and to enlighten the people about Salafist propaganda.

Terrorism has no religious or ethnic origin. The Chinese government strictly adopts and applies the principle of not associating terrorism with any region, ethnic group or religion. Within the framework of the law, it fights against acts of violence and terrorism that aim to violate human rights, to endanger public security, to undermine ethnic unity and to split the country.

According to official Chinese reports, since 2014, 1,588 violent and terrorist groups have been detected, 12,995 violent terrorists arrested, and 2,052 explosive devices seized in total. Such operations have effectively curbed the infiltration of extremism, significantly improved public security, and protected the right to life, right to health, right to development, and other basic rights of people of all ethnic groups. Xinjiang has reported no violent terrorist cases for more than four consecutive years.

Lie 4: Millions of Uygur Muslims are being held in 'concentration camps'

Fact: A "concentration camp" has never been established in Xinjiang. The white paper titled "Vocational Education and Training in Xinjiang" and published by the Chinese government refutes the lies on this subject as follows: Temporary education institutions were established to provide enlightenment training in order to fight terrorism and prevent radicalization. The purpose of vocational education and training centers established in accordance with the law was to eliminate the breeding ground of terrorism and extremism.

As the Chinese government has repeatedly announced, vocational education and training centers have set a curriculum that includes standard spoken and written Chinese, an understanding of constitutional rights and law, and professional skills development. On October 1, 2019, these centers completed their work and all trainees graduated. Most of those who graduated from training centers found stable jobs and lead a peaceful life.

Tunç Akkoç, chairman of the Board of Aydınlık, visited these training centers with a group of Turkish journalists in July 2019 and published the facts in a series in Aydınlık for a week.

A boarding education model has been implemented that allows trainees to return home regularly, ask for permission to participate in their personal affairs, and enjoy freedom of correspondence. All trainees were included in public pension and health insurance schemes and were entitled to free medical examinations.

Lie 5: The Chinese government puts a Chinese man in every Uygur home, forcing Uygur women to get into bed together

Fact: The center that spread this lie fabricated by TIP is again an organization: Human Rights Watch! The Xinjiang government has been conducting an "ethnic unity campaign" and solidarity activities among officials and people from different ethnic groups since 2016. The official name of this campaign is "Visit People, Help People and Bring People's Hearts Together" (访民情、惠民生、聚民心). In this context, over 1 million officials were paired with over 1 million people from different ethnic groups. They were considered "relatives" and became friends. Han-origin officials matched with various ethnic groups, including the Uygurs. 

Lie 6: China is implementing a systematic assimilation policy to erase Uygur culture

Fact: The cultural heritage of all ethnic groups is protected in Xinjiang. Buildings representing the prominent historical and cultural heritage of the Uygur, the Mongolia, the Hui, the Sibe and other ethnic groups are regularly maintained and renovated as needed. Apak Hodja Tomb in Kashgar, Tugluk Timur Tomb in Khorgos, Shengyou Temple in Mongolküre, the "Blue Palace - Höh Yaman" and Cimtoğrak Mansion of the Mongolian Prince Turgut Han in Hejing were restored and preserved.

Traditional cultural events such as the "Mesrep" of the Uygurs, the "Aytes" of the Kazakhs, the "Kopuz Balad Song Festival" of the Kyrgyz, the "Naadam Festival" of the Mongolians, the "West Journey Festival" of the Sibes and the "Red Lantern Festival" of the Khans are widely held. Rich and impressive epics of ethnic cultures such as "Garip and Senem" of the Uygurs, "Aytes" of the Kazakhs and "Manas epic" of the Kyrgyzs are dramatized and staged. Beef and mutton given to Muslims are slaughtered, processed, stored, transported and sold according to Islamic customs. All Muslim groups have legal holidays during Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.

Currently, people in Xinjiang use 10 spoken and written languages. Minority languages ​​are widely used in a variety of sectors, including the judiciary, administration, education, press and broadcasting, radio and television, and the internet. Xinjiang People's Broadcast Station broadcasts 12 radio and TV channels in five languages. These languages ​​are Chinese, Uygur, Kazakh, Mongolian and Kyrgyz. Primary and secondary schools in Xinjiang offer courses in minority languages ​​such as Uygur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Mongolian and Sibe. There are five languages ​​on the Chinese banknotes: Chinese, Tibetan, Uygur, Mongolian, and Zhuang.

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