A recent United Nations report on human rights violations against ethnic Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in China "confirms the concerns expressed" by Türkiye and the international community, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
"In this note, it is important to acknowledge the findings and evaluations included in the report," spokesperson Tanju Bilgiç said in a statement.
Last week, the U.N. said in its report that China, in its treatment of Uyghurs, may have committed "crimes against humanity."
The report found that mass detention in the Xinjiang region from 2017 to 2019 was marked by credible documentation of torture, sexual violence and forced labor, as well as forced abortions and sterilizations.
The 48-page document concluded that "serious human rights violations" were committed by the Chinese government against the Uyghurs and other Muslims under China's policies to fight terrorism and extremism.
Bilgiç affirmed that Türkiye's "expectations and sensitivities concerning the welfare and peaceful life of the Uyghur Turks and the protection of their fundamental rights and freedoms are emphasized both in our bilateral contacts with the Chinese authorities and on international platforms, especially the United Nations."
On the other hand, China on Thursday rejected the U.N. report on human rights violations against ethnic Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities and called it "false."
In a video statement, Chinese envoy to the U.N. Zhang Jun said they reject the U.N.'s "so-called Xinjiang-related assessment."
"We are firmly opposed to such a report. We all know so well that the so-called Xinjiang issue is completely a fabricated lie out of political motivations. Its purpose is to undermine China's stability and obstruct China's development," said Ambassador Zhang Jun.
"We have made it very clear to the High Commissioner and on a number of other occasions that we are firmly opposed to such reports," he added.
The Chinese envoy called the move a bid to undermine China's stability and obstruct China's development.
The Human Rights High Commissioner should stay independent and avoid interfering in China's internal affairs, he warned.
Türkiye has ethnic, religious and cultural ties with the Uyghur Turks and its stance on this issue is clear, sincere and moral, Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop said recently.
Şentop held a videoconference meeting with Li Zhanshu, chairperson of the National People's Congress (NPC) governing Standing Committee. In the meeting, Şentop pointed out that the People's Republic of China has a special place within the scope of the Asia Anew Initiative.
He stated that they wanted to further strengthen bilateral relations by establishing a regular dialogue between the parliaments and increasing mutual visits, and added: "We need to make our bilateral trade with China a more balanced and sustainable structure. We want China's investments in Türkiye to increase."
"We believe that a new and just world is possible, where international law prevails, peace and justice are established, and prosperity is inclusive for all countries and peoples. I'm glad to hear that we agree on this. In order for the relations between the two countries to go further, we should work on the mutual development of parliamentary relations," Şentop said, emphasizing that cooperation in projects carried out in various fields will add depth to economic relations.
During the meeting, Şentop underlined that the Uyghur issue is important for Türkiye.
"We have ethnic, religious and cultural ties with the Uyghur Turks. Türkiye's stance on this issue is clear, sincere and moral. We cannot have an understanding of instrumentalizing our related communities living in the territory of other countries to interfere in the internal affairs of the countries in question. We see these people as a bridge between their countries and our country, as an opportunity to develop cooperation and relations, and we continue our policies this way. We wish our compatriots to be able to live in peace, tranquility and prosperity in the country they live in, in a climate where they have rights and freedoms on the basis of human rights, and to contribute to the countries they live in as respected citizens of their country."
