Human Rights Watch criticizes China https://t.co/iCLk29RRb6
— NHK WORLD News (@NHKWORLD_News) 2020年1月15日
An international human rights group says China poses a worldwide threat to human rights and is using its growing economic clout to silence its critics.
Human Rights Watch released its annual report. It reviews human rights practices in nearly 100 countries.
But it paid particular attention to China and condemned its treatment of Uighur Muslims.
Executive Director at Human Rights Watch Kenneth Roth said, "This is the most severe period of repression that we've seen in decades in China, probably going back to the Cultural Revolution or an era like that."
The group says China has built the most intrusive surveillance system it has ever seen in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and coupled it with the largest case of mass arbitrary detention in decades.
The UN says more than a million Uighurs and other Muslims are being held there in government camps. China calls the camps ''vocational training centers.''
It has snapped back at past criticisms, calling the matter an internal affair.
The executive director of Human Rights Watch was expected to launch the report in Hong Kong. But he was denied entry there this week.
He said he thinks the reason is the Chinese government is terrified that what's happening in Hong Kong might spread to the mainland.
The territory has seen months of pro-democracy protests.
The report also noted that a growing number of countries that once could be relied on to promote human rights have largely abandoned the cause.
Kono calls for China's action before Xi's visit https://t.co/CyOKBbXf6p
— NHK WORLD News (@NHKWORLD_News) 2020年1月15日
Japan's defense minister urged Beijing to work toward improving the situation regarding China's increasing maritime activities ahead of President Xi Jinping's planned spring visit to Japan.
Taro Kono made the call Tuesday during a speech at Washington-based think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
He said Chinese government vessels violate Japanese territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea three times a month on average. He also said they enter Japan's contiguous zone around the island on a daily basis.
Japan controls the Senkaku islands. The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory. China and Taiwan claim them.
Kono said Japan is concerned about China's continuous attempts to unilaterally change the status quo in the East China Sea, particularly around the Senkaku Islands, by forceful means. He added Japan cannot overlook such aggressive behavior.
He said that if China makes light of international norms, such as democracy and freedom, the country will have to pay the cost.
Kono also said Japan wants to extend a heartfelt welcome to Xi as a state guest this year. But, he said Beijing needs to work hard to improve the situation, otherwise, there may be a "difficult environment" for the visit.
中国政府報道官「台湾は中国の一部 事実を変えようがない」 #nhk_news https://t.co/CPWD6xaVpF
— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) 2020年1月15日
台湾では、今月11日に投票が行われた総統選挙で、中国への対抗姿勢を示す現職の与党・民進党の蔡英文総統が、過去最多の票を獲得して再選されました。
これについて、中国政府で台湾を担当する国務院台湾事務弁公室の馬暁光報道官は15日の記者会見で、「台湾地区の選挙の結果は台湾が中国の一部分だという事実を変えようがない」と強調しました。
そして、台湾の独立は絶対に許さないとけん制したうえで、「われわれは台湾を平和的に統一して、一国二制度を実施するという基本方針を堅持し、両岸の平和的な発展や祖国の統一を推し進めていく」と述べ、香港で実施する「一国二制度」を適用し、将来的な台湾統一を目指す方針に変わりはないと強調しました。
一方、蔡総統が中国政府に対等な立場で対話を望むと求めたことについて「１つの中国の原則を体現する1992年のコンセンサスの堅持が、関係が動揺しない基礎だ」と述べ、1992年に中台双方の窓口機関が合意したと中国が主張する「１つの中国」の考え方を受け入れる必要があると強調しました。
今月11日に再選された台湾の蔡英文総統は15日、総統府で会見し、記者団の質問に対し、「中国側が今回の選挙で台湾の人々が示した意見と意志を深く理解し、現在のみずからの政策の見直しを進めることを願っている」と述べました。
蔡総統は選挙後、対等な立場での対話を中国政府に求めていて、「１つの中国」の原則を対話の前提にしている中国に対し、改めて見直しを呼びかけました。
