Pakistan accepts China's version on Xinjiang's Uighurs: PM Imran
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that Pakistan accepted Beijing's version regarding the treatment of Uighurs in China's Xinjiang province.
Speaking to Chinese journalists on Thursday as Beijing marked the centenary of the ruling Communist Party, the prime minister said that the Chinese version was completely different from what was being reported in Western media. "Because of our extreme proximity and relationship with China, we actually accept the Chinese version."
He said that it was hypocritical that while the Uighur situation and Hong Kong was being highlighted, attention was not being given to the human rights violations in occupied Kashmir. "It is hypocritical. There are much worse human rights violations taking place in other parts of the world such as in occupied Kashmir. But Western media hardly comments on this," he said.
During his media talk, PM Imran also praised the Communist Party of China (CPC) for its unique model, calling it an alternative to Western democracy. "Until now, we had been told that the best way for societies to improve was through Western democracy.
"The CPC has introduced an alternative model and they have beaten all Western democracies in the way they have highlighted merit in society," he said.
He said that a society only succeeds when it has systems in place for holding the ruling elite accountable and ensuring meritocracy. "Until now, the feeling was that electoral democracy is the best way to bring leaders on merit and hold them accountable.
"But the CPC has achieved much better [outcomes] without democracy. Their system for sifting through talent and bringing it up is better than the democratic system," he said. PM Imran also praised the "flexibility" of the system. "In our society and in Western democracies, it is difficult to bring change as you are bound by rules and regulations," he said, lamenting the fact that democracies only plan for "the next five years".
He said that leaders like Chinese President Xi Jinping worked their way up from the bottom. "One can only become a leader after going through a long struggle. This process is not present in Western democracies. An American president doesn't go through this rigorous process."
He said that when leaders like Xi reach the top, they are able to completely understand the system, a trait that is "unique to China".The prime minister also highlighted Pakistan's strong ties with China.
"Whenever Pakistan has been in trouble, politically or internationally, China has always stood with us. The people of China have a special place in the hearts of Pakistanis," he said, adding that relations between the two countries have only gotten stronger. "You see a strange great power rivalry in the region. The United States is wary of China and has formed a regional alliance called the 'Quad'.
"We think that it is unfair of the US and Western powers to expect countries like Pakistan to take sides," he said. "Pakistan will not downgrade its relations with China.
" He added that the idea that India was supposed to act as a counter balance to China would be "detrimental" for the former. "China is too strong. India will reap far greater benefits by engaging in trade with China rather than trying to act as a counter balance. If anyone is going to lose out, it will be India.