China dismisses Turkish PM's genocide remarks

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday dismissed Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s remarks that genocide was being committed in China's Xinjiang-Uighur Autonomous Region, where ethnic violence has left at least 184 dead.

Meanwhile, a Chinese diplomat, who was sent to Turkey as a special envoy following the violence in Xinjiang, said Tuesday he sought to restore relations and allay concerns.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said the accusation of genocide simply did not make sense. Most people who died in the riots were Han and over the past few decades the Uighur population in Xinjiang had increased sharply, he added.

"In which country could this be called genocide?" Qin was quoted by Reuters as saying at a regular news briefing.

Turkey shares cultural and ethnic bonds with the Turkic speaking Uighur population.

"We hope that our Muslim brothers can realize the truth of the July 5 incident in Urumqi. Once they know the truth, they would support our ethnic and religious policies and the measures the Chinese government has taken to deal with the incident,” he added.

Erdoğan has been the most vocal foreign leader to criticize China's actions in Xinjiang. He said last week that “the incidents in China are, simply put, a genocide, and there's no point in interpreting this otherwise." He called on Chinese authorities to intervene to prevent more deaths.

‘Beijing willing to restore ties’

Meanwhile in Ankara, Chinese diplomat Aiquo Song, who is the former ambassador to Turkey, said the Chinese government felt sorrow over the incidents in Urumqi, adding that he was in Ankara to avoid possible damages in relations. He said relations were on the brink of a disruption and stated that the Chinese government was seeking ways to fix the situation.

Song held talks with several government officials, including Turkish Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, to inform them on the recent violence. He expressed fear that the death toll could rise as 70 people were still critically injured.

Song said it was natural to take some measures to establish stability during such an incident and that life had started to return to normal in the region.

The Chinese diplomat called on the Turkish media to give accurate information in order not to damage relations between the two countries.

China's state media hits out at Erdoğan:

Despite the optimistic atmosphere over Turkish-Chinese relations, China’s state media berated Erdoğan for his genocide comments and on Tuesday called on the prime minister to retract his remarks regarding the incidents in Xinjiang.

In an editorial headlined "Don't twist facts," the English-language China Daily said Erdoğan's description of the violence that has blighted the remote northwest region “as ‘a kind of genocide’ is an irresponsible and groundless accusation.”

“The fact that 137 of the 184 persons killed in the riots are Han Chinese speaks volumes for the nature of the event,” the paper added.

The China Daily said the Turkish prime minister's remarks constituted “interference in China's internal affairs” and they are the “last thing the Uygur and Han Chinese would find helpful when they are looking forward to lasting peace.”

"Chinese leaders are the last people who want to see happenings like these in the largest ethnic autonomous region," it added.

Erdoğan had earlier said Turkey would grant a visa to exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer, who is based in the United States. Kadeer told Turkish television that Turkish authorities had twice denied her visa application to visit the country. China has blamed the ethnic unrest on exiled Uighur separatists, especially Kadeer, who denies the charge. The Chinese violence has sparked almost daily protests in Turkey, mostly outside heavily guarded Chinese diplomatic missions in Istanbul and Ankara.

Turkish Industry Minister Nihat Ergun has called on Turks to stop buying Chinese goods, although the government itself has no plans for an official boycott.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has called his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, and conveyed Turkey’s concerns. The Chinese foreign minister told Davutoğlu over the phone Sunday that the Urumqi riots were a grave crime orchestrated by the "three evil forces,” state news agency Xinhua said, referring to "extremism, separatism and terrorism.”