"Ozil seems to have been blinded by some fake news and influenced by some false statements and we welcome him to go to Xinjiang and have a look," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Monday in response to German footballer Mesut Ozil's comments on China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

"The Chinese government protects the freedom of religious belief of Chinese citizens including the Ughurs in accordance with the law, and Xinjiang has been free of violence and terrorism for three consecutive years," Geng stressed.

He said the measures taken by the Chinese government to combat terrorism and maintain stability in Xinjiang have won the wholehearted support of the local people of all ethnic groups, and that people in Xinjiang enjoy political stability, economic development, ethnic unity, social harmony and peace.

"We believe that if Ozil visits Xinjiang, he will see a different Xinjiang as long as he has a conscience, knows right from wrong and upholds the principle of objectivity and justice," Geng added.

Read more: Chinese Football Association irate, disappointed at Mesut Ozil's comments on Xinjiang: official

Fighting terrorism in Xinjiang