UN - China - Q&A (01 Jun. 2022)

Q: The lack of any diplomatic reaction to UN Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet’s visit to China comes across as a blank check for Beijing (just read the agency comments!). Are the war in Ukraine and the fear of provoking China behind this silence and this “soft” visit? Is France, which asked that Bachelet be given free access to the Uighurs and the internment camps, satisfied with this visit that has been tightly controlled by the Chinese?

A: In regard to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet’s visit to China, we expressed our concerns and expectations concerning transparency and genuine unhindered access. Among other things, it was discussed during a telephone conversation between the minister and her Chinese counterpart. Please consult my statement of May 25 on this point.

We are now waiting for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to issue a written report on the human rights situation in Xinjiang, including a detailed assessment of the level of transparency and independence she encountered during her visit to China.

France intends to pursue a rigorous, systematic dialogue with China on human rights at every level. Now more than ever, we expect China to demonstrate transparency in light of the publication of the so-called Xinjiang Police Files containing serious allegations of grave human rights violations in Xinjiang.