China's Mission to the UN office at Geneva on Friday denied accusations of harming human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang after the West rebuked China at the UN Human Rights Council.

Britain called on China to uphold rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong, and maintain the independence of the former British colony's judiciary.

Germany, speaking for the EU, voiced concerns at the existence of "re-education camps" and the harm of religious freedom against minorities in Xinjiang.

In response, the spokesman for the Chinese Mission Liu Yuyin rejected "baseless allegation," saying Hong Kong and Xinjiang related issues are not human rights issues but issues concerning China's sovereignty, security and unity.

Liu said it has been 23 years since Hong Kong returned to the motherland, and the Joint Declaration is a document between China and the UK concerning China's resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong and arrangements for the transitional period.

The "Hong Kong independence" and radical separatist forces, with the support of certain external forces, have become increasingly rampant in escalating violent and terrorist activities in Hong Kong, and the national security law is to plug the legal loopholes, he said.

Liu also denied mistreating Uygurs in Xinjiang, stressing that the vocational centers are part of local government's efforts to combat and prevent terrorism and extremism.

Since late 2018, more than 1,000 diplomats, officials of international organizations, journalists, and religious personages from over 90 countries have visited Xinjiang and seen the change and development, Liu noted.

"China is willing to have dialogue with other countries on human rights issues on the basis of mutual respect," he said, but China firmly opposes accusations against others for political purpose by using disinformation.

(Cover: Overview of the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland June 20, 2018. /Reuters)