Chinese Foreign Minister says UN rights boss welcome to visit Xinjiang in 'near future'

Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, said on Monday that the UN rights chief would be welcome to visit the Xinjiang region in the near future.

"We welcome people from all over the world who harbour no bias to come to Xinjiang for exchanges," he said at a speech to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. "China also welcomes the visit by High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet to China, including a trip to Xinjiang in the near future." He did not give details.

Bachelet has long sought access to investigate alleged abuses against ethnic Uyghurs and her office said last month that conversations for a possible trip were underway.

UN experts and rights groups estimate more than a million people, mainly from the Uyghur and other Muslim minorities, have been detained in forced labour camps in Xinjiang since 2016.

China initially denied such camps existed, but has since said they are vocational centres and are designed to combat extremism. It denies all accusations of abuse.

(Reuters)