Tribune: BEIJING: China’s Foreign Ministry denied restricting religious freedom on Wednesday in a sharp response to Turkey for voicing concern over reports that ethnic Uighur Muslims had been banned from worship and fasting during Ramazan.
Some local governments in China’s far western region of Xinjiang have stepped up controls on the Islamic faith followed by the Turkic Uighur people ahead of and during Ramazan, including restrictions on fasting.
Turkey’s foreign ministry said it had been ‘saddened’ by these reports and passed its concern on to the Chinese ambassador in Ankara.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China wanted to have a good relationship with Turkey.
“China has already demanded that Turkey clarify these reports and we have expressed concern about the statement from the Turkish foreign ministry,” Hua told a daily news briefing.
Categories: Accepting Islam, Anti-Islam Attitude, Asia, China