Chen Xu, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Office at Geneva, rejected "groundless" accusations by U.S., Britain about Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong at a UN human rights forum on Wednesday. 

"At this high-level segment, the UK, EU, Germany, U.S., Canada, and some other countries abused this forum of the UN Human Rights Council to make groundless charges against China and to interfere in internal affairs of our country," Chen said.

"We firmly oppose and categorically reject these attempts," the envoy added. 

Chen's remarks came as some representatives at the forum called on China to allow UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet to visit Xinjiang for an investigation of so-called human rights violation. 

If these countries truly intend to promote and protect human rights, they should not have started wars around the world that caused countless civilian casualties and displacement, and broken families, Chen noted.

They should not have shielded soldiers who committed war crimes overseas and incessant killings of innocent civilians, nor should they have interfered in the internal affairs of other countries and undermined the peaceful life of their people, the Chinese diplomat stressed.

If they truly intend to promote and protect human rights, they should provide adequate technical and financial assistance to developing countries to help them achieve sustainable development, narrow the North-South divide, and eradicate poverty and hunger on a global scale, he said.

If they truly intend to promote and protect human rights, they should put life first and take effective measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic, rather than pass the buck and shift the blame, he said.

They should also address the deep-rooted human rights problems, such as racial discrimination, wealth disparity, social injustice and police violence, protect the rights of refugees and migrants, and close immigration detention centers where migrants are subjected to inhumane treatment.

"What they have done has only fully exposed the fact that, for them, human rights are nothing but a tool for political manipulation," Chen added. "China urges these countries to make real efforts to solve their own human rights problems, take part in international human rights dialogue and cooperation in a fair, objective and constructive manner, and stop interfering in other countries' internal affairs only to serve their own political agenda under the pretext of human rights."

On the same day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin also hit back at the criticism by these countries, saying China firmly rejects and opposes the spread of false information.

Wang said China has sent invitations to the UN Human Rights Council's high commissioner about a trip to Xinjiang, and the two sides have maintained close communication on the matter.

Read more: 'Human rights are about people': China hits back after UK claims

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: A bazaar in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. /CFP)