UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet arrived in China yesterday, the first trip by a holder of the office since 2005 amid concerns that it could lead to an endorsement rather than scrutiny of China’s human rights record.
During the six-day trip, Bachelet plans to visit Xinjiang, where the UN High Commissioner’s office last year said that it believes the mostly Muslim Uighurs have been unlawfully detained, mistreated and forced to work.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it welcomes her, but rejects “political manipulation” when asked by reporters if she could visit the detention centers, re-education camps
Human rights groups have heavily criticised United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet for not releasing her
report on China's alleged abuses prior to the Beijing 2022 Winter
Olympics as it would have been a huge blow to the country's hosting of
the event.
feeds has found that many sponsors have barely posted about the beijing winter olympics compared with last summer s games in tokyo. french giant atos, for example, tweeted about the olympics last year dozens of times on its twitter accounts, yet has posted almost nothing in the lead up to the games in beijing. i don t think that any of them as global brands can afford or are willing to insult the chinese government or the chinese people, they feel they re walking on a tightrope. the problem that many of these companies face that do business in both china and here in the us is actually pretty simple. they don t want to offend either side. so best not to say very much. that s what zumretay arkin from the world uyghur congress found when she approached the olympic partners. some of these companies, you know, always promote their own company and values, saying that they re aiming for inclusivity and human rights and all these beautiful values. but when it comes to china, it sjust, it s cra
offend either side. so best not to say very much. that s what zumretay arkin from the world uyghur congress found when she approached the olympic partners. some of these companies, you know, always promote their own company and values, saying that they re aiming for inclusivity and human rights and all these beautiful values. but when it comes to china, it sjust, it s crazy how silent they become. the bbc invited all 13 official olympic partners to comment on china s treatment of uyghurs. none took up the bbc s offer. the beijing winter olympics will be a showcase for athletes competing at the highest level. but a showcase for global brands? well, that s a more complex story. james clayton, bbc news. now it s time for across the uk.