Chinese Media on U.S. Coverage of Xinjiang

This week, I wanted to cover Chinese media again. I have actually been having some fun learning about how our adversaries see the west, and the tactics they use to discredit us. I want to talk about the Chinese media coverage of the United States media coverage regarding the Xinjiang genocide of Uyghur Muslims. An article from XINHUANET titled "Why Does the United States Keep Spreading Lies about Xinjiang?" notably outlines the past genocides of indigenous people and ethnic minorities. Seems like a major 'what-aboutism' in my book seeing that most countries have a dark history, and it surely is not a justification for further genocide. On his last day of office, the Trump administration accused Beijing of sending Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities to reeducation camps; a form of ethnic cleansing. And there have been reports of forced labor from the Uyghur community. 

The XINHUANET article says the motivation to spread these "lies" is not for ethical purposes, but to eventually seize control of the region's access to Europe. The Xinjiang region is central to the modernly rebuilt silk road and gives strategic access to commerce to the Middle East and Europe. Beijing is denying these claims stating their solar, cotton, and tomato industries are not using forced labor. They also claim that the United States is fabricating these lies to retain economic control over the world by strangling their adversaries. I think it's interesting that both sides can be overtly accusatory with maintaining semi-stable diplomatic relations. It makes me wonder what President Biden and President Xi discuss and the general tone of the room. 

Signing off, 

Jake Hughes