China on Wednesday dismissed as false the latest Human Rights Watch (HRW) report that claimed Beijing is violating 'privacy norms' in its northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region by "collecting DNA samples, fingerprints, iris scans, and blood types of all residents in the region between the age of 12 and 65."

Reacting furiously to the HRW allegations, the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said: "This organization (HRW)... has kept making false allegations on China-related issues all along. That’s why I would like to say that such allegation is not even worth your time."

Earlier in the day, the HRW published a report alleging the Chinese “campaign significantly expands authorities’ collection of biodata beyond previous government efforts in the region, which only required all passport applicants in Xinjiang to supply biometrics.”

The report claimed that authorities are gathering biodata in several different ways. “DNA and blood types are being collected through a free annual physical exams program called Physicals for All. It is unclear if the participants of the physicals are informed of the authorities’ intention to collect, store, or use sensitive DNA data,” it said.

“The mandatory databanking of a whole population’s biodata, including DNA, is a gross violation of international human rights norms, and it’s even more disturbing if it is done surreptitiously, under the guise of a free health care program,” the report quoted HRW’s China director Sophie Richardson as saying.

Slamming the HRW’s claims, China's Global Times daily reasoned that “collecting such [biometric] information has been partly advocated in Xinjiang, such as the cities of Yining and Korla, since the second half of the year, for accurate demographic and diverse biological information in the regions.”

Global Times reported that in Korla, photos and fingerprints are collected and will be included in the new version of ID cards, while DNA, iris and blood type information will be entered in a local biological database. And, in Yining, such information would be collected for a demographic database to help accurately identify people and for information-sharing among government departments, the report said citing government documents.

“China's government has the right to take measures it deems as proper to protect national security, and the collection of such information is not harmful to the residents, nor does it affect people's rights,” Turgunjan Tursun, a professor at Zhejiang Normal University, told the Global Times. 

“Such measures, as well as the collecting of fingerprints in other cities in China, help secure public security, and claims of human rights violations are groundless,” he added.

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in northwestern China, is home to 10 million Uygurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities.

The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson asserted that the situation in Xinjiang is peaceful while stressing that the region is going through a phase of rapid economic development.

“In terms of the situation in Xinjiang, we have said from this podium many times that with economic development, people in Xinjiang are living a peaceful and happy life, and the situation there is sound,” Lu said.

“Indeed, certain people overseas may be unwilling to see such a situation. I would like to tell them that the Chinese government will continue to uphold the unity of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, safeguard their happy life and promote progress in various fields of Xinjiang,” he added.