China has said Xinjiang remains open to all, including Western media and anyone willing to come will be well-received to see the situation for themselves. "Door of Xinjiang is open to all, including Western media," Deputy Director General of Xinjiang Foreign Affairs Office Zhang Huazhong told UNB while responding to a question during a recent visit. He said they wish to see "more comprehensive and objective" reports on Xinjiang, an autonomous region in China's northeast. Claims of ‘concentration camps’ in China's Xinjiang baseless: Imam of largest mosque in region tells Bangladesh media delegation "There is no concentration camp. Everyone can come here to see in person. You (Bangladesh media delegation) have seen our daily life. It is totally unfriendly to use words like concentration camps," Zhang said, adding that they have an "open and inclusive" attitude. He said people in Xinjiang live a happy life and Xinjiang is an open place to all. Referring to Bangladesh-China relations, he said the two countries should stay united and continue to focus on further domestic development for the sake of people's welfare. 10 killed in apartment fire in northwest China's Xinjiang "Our both countries face similar challenges. Rights to survive, develop and security are the key human rights," said the Chinese government official. He said they would like to share their experiences with Bangladesh in terms of development efforts and laid emphasis on national stability and people's welfare. Officials from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region responded to various questions at an interaction before conclusion of the week-long visit of the 10-member Bangladesh media delegation. China rejects UN report on Uyghur rights abuses in Xinjiang Deputy Director General for Culture and Tourism Department of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Yan Naimin, Vice President of Literary Federation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Wlijan Yaqub, President of Women’s Federation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Aynur Mahset, Deputy Director General of Ethnic Affairs (Religious Affairs Bureau) of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Li Jiang, Deputy Director General of Health Commission of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Yu Miping, Director of Religious Affairs Division of United Front Work Department of CPC Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Chu Jian, Chief Economic Manager of Rural Revitalization Bureau of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Ma Zhibin, Director of International Exchanges and Cooperation of Xinjiang University Li Xiaodong, Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs Division of Education Qin Shan and Director of Information and Culture Division of Xinjiang Foreign Affairs Office Gu Mei interacted with the Bangladesh media delegation. The officials said the Chinese government is fully committed to protecting the rights of both the believers and non-believers, and the religious freedom of the people of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is fully ensured. They said the laws and regulations enacted by the government guarantee the protection of the rights of ethnic minorities as well as the rights of believers of all religions. A large portion of the people in Xinjiang province are Muslims and there have been allegations in a section of the media that there is a curb on religious freedom in this region, which shares borders with eight central and South Asian countries. "It’s a fictitious lie....The anti-Chinese forces have fabricated this to undermine the huge pro-people prosperity achieved by China," said Zhang. Li Jiang said the people in the region enjoy the full religious freedom and rights. He said that in line with the central government’s policy, they fully respect and protect citizens’ religious beliefs. Laws and rules have been enacted to ensure religious freedom, he added. Chu Jian said ethnic minorities also have substantial representations in all level of policy-making forums. Yan Naimin said that they have been promoting ethnic culture, arts and music for a long time. "It is very convenient for overseas tourists to visit Xinjiang. We provide the best and quality services." Elijan Yaqub said the CPC stressed the need for literature and folklore and each year more than 10 million RMB is allocated for this purpose. "We would like to invite your (Bangladesh) cultural artists as part if exchanges." “We have made a lot of initiatives to strengthen ethnic unity. For the people of grassroots level, measures are taken to improve the culture and literary lives,” he said. Aynur Mahset said as part of social and economic development the authorities prioritise issues related to improvement of women and children. The local government of Uyghur is committed to supporting health welfare of mother and infant, she said. The law and regulations of the government guarantee protection of rights of women and children. She said a large number of women are contributing to the various policy making areas and forums in the party and in the government. The media delegation members who took part in the interactions were Daily Jugantor Chief Reporter Masud Karim, The Business Standard Deputy Editor Titu Das Gupta, The Financial Express Special Correspondent Mir Mostafizur Rahaman, The Daily Star Diplomatic Correspondent Porimol Palma, UNB Special Correspondent AKM Moinuddin, Independent TV Special Correspondent Nafiza Dawla, ATN News Chief Reporter Ashiqur Rahman Apu, Daily Samokal Diplomatic Correspondent Tasnim Mohsin Mishu, Jamuna TV Senior Reporter Ahmed Reza and Somoy TV Diplomatic Correspondent Tajwar Mahmid.    

Id Kah Mosque, the largest mosque in Xinjiang, China draws many tourists from home and abroad. Located at the center of Kashgar Old City, the mosque is considered one of the local landmarks. Kashgar was historically important for its position on the ancient Silk Road, officials said. "The mosque can accommodate around 20,000 people during the two major religious celebrations," Imam of the mosque, Mohammad Jummah, told a visiting Bangladesh media delegation. Muslims gather at the mosque each Friday for Jummah prayers, apart from the five regular prayers each day, he said. Residents of Kashgar enjoy better life with the growing presence of religious tourists that boost their business, officials said. Read: PM Hasina inaugurates 50 more model mosques The Imam of the mosque trashed the claim that China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has "concentration camps," calling it baseless. "We don't believe there are any kind of concentration camps. This is just a lie," Imam Mohammad Jummah said, adding that there was an "ulterior motive" behind what he says "such baseless claims and propaganda." He also said, "I am 53 years old. I have never seen any accident or violence in my life." Recently, envoys from 14 countries, including Brazil, Iran, Indonesia, Ecuador and Senegal, visited China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at the invitation of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Read: Shat Gombuj Mosque abuzz with tourists

Tursunjan Mamat, a practicing Muslim in western China’s Xinjiang region, said he’s fasting for Ramadan but his daughters, ages 8 and 10, are not. Religious activity including fasting is not permitted for minors, he explained. The 32-year-old ethnic Uyghur wasn’t complaining, at least not to a group of foreign journalists brought to his home outside the city of Aksu by government officials, who listened in on his responses. It seemed he was giving a matter-of-fact description of how religion is practiced under rules set by China’s Communist Party. “My children know who our holy creator is, but I don’t give them detailed religious knowledge,” he said, speaking through a translator. “After they reach 18, they can receive religious education according to their own will.” Also Read: "Xinjiang genocide" allegations against China unjustified: scholars Under the weight of official policies, the future of Islam appears precarious in Xinjiang, a rugged realm of craggy snow-capped mountains and barren deserts bordering Central Asia. Outside observers say scores of mosques have been demolished, a charge Beijing denies, and locals say the number of worshippers is sinking. A decade ago, 4,000 to 5,000 people attended Friday prayers at the Id Kah Mosque in the historic Silk Road city of Kashgar. Now only 800 to 900 do, said the mosque’s imam, Mamat Juma. He attributed the drop to a natural shift in values, not government policy, saying the younger generation wants to spend more time working than praying. The Chinese government organized a five-day visit to Xinjiang in April for about a dozen foreign correspondents, part of an intense propaganda campaign to counter allegations of abuse. Officials repeatedly urged journalists to recount what they saw, not what China calls the lies of critical Western politicians and media. Beijing says it protects freedom of religion, and citizens can practice their faith so long as they adhere to laws and regulations. In practice, any religious activity must be done in line with restrictions evident at almost every stop in Xinjiang — from a primary school where the headmaster said fasting wasn’t observed because of the “separation of religion and education,” to a cotton yarn factory where workers are banned from praying on site, even in their dormitory rooms. “Within the factory grounds, it’s prohibited. But they can go home, or they can go to the mosque to pray,” said Li Qiang, the general manager of Aksu Huafu Textiles Co. “Dormitories are for the workers to rest. We want them to rest well so that they can maintain their health.” By law, Chinese are allowed to follow Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Roman Catholicism or non-denominational Protestantism. In practice, there are limits. Workers are free to fast, the factory manager said, but they are required to take care of their bodies. If children fast, it’s not good for their growth, said the Id Kah mosque’s imam. Researchers at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, a think tank, said in a report last year that mosques have been torn down or damaged in what they called the deliberate erasure of Uyghur and Islamic culture. They identified 170 destroyed mosques through satellite imagery, about 30% of a sample they examined. The Chinese government rejects ASPI research, which also has included reports on Beijing’s efforts to influence politics in Australia and other Western democracies, as lies promoted by “anti-China forces.” The government denies destroying mosques and allegations of mass incarcerations and forced labor that have strained China’s relations with Western governments. They say they have spent heavily on upgrading mosques, outfitting them with fans, flush toilets, computers and air conditioners. Xinjiang’s biggest ethnic minority is Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim group who are 10 million of the region’s population of 25 million people. They have borne the brunt of a government crackdown that followed a series of riots, bombings, and knifings, although ethnic Kazakhs and others have been swept up as well. The authorities obstruct independent reporting in the region, though such measures have recently eased somewhat. AP journalists visiting Xinjiang on their own in recent years have been followed by undercover officers, stopped, interrogated and forced to delete photos or videos. Also Read: 'No Sweets': For Syrian refugees in Lebanon, a tough Ramadan Id Kah Mosque, its pastel yellow facade overlooking a public square, is far from destroyed. Its imam toes the official line, and he spoke thankfully of the government largesse that has renovated the more than 500-year-old institution. “There is no such thing as mosque demolition,” Juma said, other than some rundown mosques taken down for safety renovations. Kashgar has been largely spared mosque destruction, the Australian institute report said. Juma added he was unaware of mosques being converted to other uses, although AP journalists saw one turned into a cafe and others padlocked shut during visits in 2018. The tree-lined paths of the Id Kah Mosque’s grounds are tranquil, and it’s easy to miss the three surveillance cameras keeping watch over whoever comes in. The imam’s father and previous leader of the mosque was killed by extremists in 2014 for his pro-government stance. About 50 people prayed before nightfall on a recent Monday evening, mostly elderly men. A Uyghur imam who fled China in 2012 called such scenes a staged show for visitors. “They have a routine of making such a scene every time they need it,” said Ali Akbar Dumallah in a video interview from Turkey. “People know exactly what to do, how to lie, it’s not something new for them.” Staged or not, it appears Islam is on the decline. The ban on religious education for minors means that the young aren’t gaining the knowledge they should, Dumallah said. “The next generation will accept the Chinese mindset,” he said. “They’ll still be called Uyghurs, but their mindset and values will be gone.” Officials say those who want to study Islam can do so after the age of 18 at a state-sponsored Islamic studies institute. At a newly-built campus on the outskirts of Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, hundreds train to become imams according to a government-authored curriculum, studying a textbook with sections like “Patriotism is a part of faith” and “be a Muslim who loves the motherland, abide by the national constitution, laws and regulations.” “Continue the sinicization of Islam in our country,” the foreword reads. “Guide Islam to adapt to a socialist society.” Though Islam lives on, the sinicization campaign has palpably reduced the role of religion in daily life. Near Urumqi’s grand bazaar, several dozen elderly men trickled out of a mosque during an unannounced visit by an AP journalist. Prayers continue as usual, the imam said, though attendance has fallen considerably. A jumbo screen showing state media coverage of top Chinese leaders hung above the entrance. Down the street, the exterior at the Great White Mosque had been shorn of the Muslim profession of faith. On a Wednesday evening at prayer time, the halls were nearly empty, and worshippers had to go through x-rays, metal detectors and face-scanning cameras to enter. Also Read:China names Mars rover for traditional fire god Freedom of religion in China is defined as the freedom to believe — or not believe. It was a mantra repeated by many who spoke to the foreign journalists: It’s not just that people have the right to fast or pray, they also have the right not to fast or pray. “I really worry that the number of believers will decrease, but that shouldn’t be a reason to force them to pray here,” Juma said. His mosque, which flies a Chinese national flag above its entrance, has been refurbished, but fewer and fewer people come.

The so-called "genocide" against Uygurs in Xinjiang is "unjustified," and unless providing evidence, the United States "should withdraw the charge," scholars said in an article. Jeffrey D. Sachs, director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, and William Schabas, professor of Law at Middlesex University, London, drew the conclusion in the article titled "The Xinjiang Genocide Allegations Are Unjustified," released by Project Syndicate last week. "The U.S. government needlessly escalated its rhetoric against China by claiming that a genocide is being mounted against the Uygur people in Xinjiang," said the article, noting that Washington has offered no proof.   The professors also warned that a genocide charge should never be made "lightly," adding "Inappropriate use of the term may escalate geopolitical and military tensions."

The U.S. secretary of state's accusation of genocide against China touches on a hot-button human rights issue between China and the West.

On his way out the door, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lashed out anew at China on Tuesday by declaring that its policies on Muslims and ethnic minorities in the western Xinjiang region constitute “crimes against humanity” and a “genocide.” The rarely used designation is sure to provoke an angry response from Beijing.

A Chinese official on Monday denied Beijing has imposed coercive birth control measures among Muslim minority women, following an outcry over a tweet by the Chinese Embassy in Washington claiming that government polices had freed women of the Uighur ethnic group from being “baby-making machines.”

Beijing has rejected Pope Francis's criticism of its treatment of the Muslim Uighur minority in Xinjiang.

China is once again mass testing an entire city for the coronavirus amid a regional outbreak in Xinjiang province, reports BBC.

A Chinese UN envoy on Friday refuted accusations by the United States over China's counter-terrorism efforts in its northwestern region of Xinjiang.