Mar 18, 2011

East Turkestan: China Opposes Rebiya Kadeer Visit to Australia


Beijing will question its relations with Australia if the Uyghur activist is allowed into the country following a pattern since the 1990s, when Beijing has tried its best to prevent Ms Kadeer from moving freely.

Below is an article published by Fox News:

China says it opposes an exiled Uighur activist's upcoming visit to Australia, calling her a separatist.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu did not say Thursday [17 March] if China would take any action in retaliation against Australia for allowing Rebiya Kadeer to visit. Kadeer is a U.S.-based ethnic Uighur from China's west.

Jiang said China firmly opposed any country that provides a stage for Kadeer's activities and that Beijing believes the government in Australia was clear about China's position.

Kadeer has championed the rights of her Chinese minority Muslim group since the late 1990s. After she visited Australia in 2009, China retaliated by cancelling a top diplomat's trip to attend a summit of 16 Pacific leaders and a bilateral meeting.