China bashed online for its 'propaganda' to promote tourism in Uyghur Autonomous region

In a futile attempt to cover up the persecution and human rights violation against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, the Chinese Government has announced the resumption of tourism-related trains from Friday, September 11, in the Uyghur “autonomous” region.

Furthermore, the CCP plans to open 26 tourism route trains in the next four months to “meet tourists' demands” in the autumn and winter months. The government is also giving 30% discount on ticket prices to tourists visiting Xinjiang, Chinese state-affiliated media, Global Times reported.

However, the netizens were quick to question China’s move, as global pressure mounts on the country for its horrifying treatment toward Uyghur Muslims in East Turkestan. Citing several reports of “systematic killing, organ smuggling and genocide” of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, Twitterati hammered China for promoting tourism in the region.

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'Tours of forced sterilization clinics?'

Outraged by the CCP’s actions against the Turkish Muslims, netizens said that the local Uyghurs shown in images for promotion of tourism were only “rented actors” from East China as a part of its propaganda. They demanded to see the detention camps where the victims have been subjected to abuse and torture for years.

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The plight of Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang

Uyghurs are Turkic-speaking Muslims in the Xinjiang province, also known as East Turkestan, who have been facing persecution in the name of “re-education” camps. Several leaked documents from China have revealed Beijing’s brutal and systematic crackdown on Uyghurs, in which they have called it a “struggle against terrorism, infiltration and separatism”.

The Associated Press recently reported that Beijing has been taking draconian measures to curb birth rates among Uyghurs as a part of the crackdown on China’s Muslim population. US State Secretary Mike Pompeo called on China to immediately stop forced sterilisation of Uyghurs Muslims after reports of coercive family planning emerged.

The World Uyghur Congress had earlier blamed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for not acknowledging the plight of the minority community.

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