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US Secretary of State Pompeo sees China as guilty of "crimes against humanity"
Photo: POOL / REUTERS
The change of power in the USA is imminent, on Wednesday Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president of the country.
However, Donald Trump's administration does not seem to plan to end the last few hours in power.
A statement by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is likely to increase tensions with China.
Pompeo officially accuses China of "genocide" against the Muslim Uighur minority.
"I believe this genocide is ongoing and that we are witnessing the systematic attempt by the Chinese party state to destroy the Uyghurs," said Pompeo.
For some time now, the Chinese leadership has been massively criticized internationally for its actions against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
According to human rights organizations and researchers, at least one million Uyghurs and other Muslims are detained in hundreds of detention camps in northwest China's province.
Pompeo demands the release of all detainees
They are therefore forced to give up their religion, culture and language and in some cases are also mistreated.
Beijing rejects the allegations and speaks of "educational centers" for the fight against Islamist radicalization.
Since at least March 2017, China has been perpetrating “crimes against humanity” against Uyghurs and other “ethnic and religious minorities” in Xinjiang province, Pompeo said.
China is striving for a "forced assimilation and ultimately extermination" of the Uyghurs.
Pompeo called on China to release all detainees and to abolish the camp system.
On December 27, the US Congress instructed the administration of President Donald Trump to examine whether the actions of the government in Beijing constitute genocide.
Pompeo had recently caused a stir with another statement.
The foreign minister accused Iran of being the new "headquarters" of the terrorist group al-Qaeda.
The accusation could certainly be seen as an attempt to strain relations with Iran again shortly before the replacement in the White House.
Pompeo did not provide evidence of the connection.
The statement on the Uighurs should come in handy for the future President Biden.
His campaign team had already spoken of genocide in the Xinjiang region before the presidential election in early November.
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fek / dpa / AFP / Reuters