Keep up international pressure on China

COMMENT | China’s decision to invite waves of foreign diplomats to Xinjiang is an interesting development.

China generally has a reputation as a behemoth that pays very little heed to external criticism, because it does not feel it needs to.

The fact that it would take such diplomatic measures at all could well be interpreted as indications that, for once, Beijing appears to be feeling some heat.

It is probably fair comment to say that on the balance of probabilities, China’s latest moves are likely to be more cosmetic than substantial, with regard to atrocities being conducted in Xinjiang.

The history of conflict in Xinjiang is, of course, a long and complex one, while the controversy surrounding Xinjiang’s "re-education camps" has intensified considerably since the current Communist Party secretary for Xinjiang took up his position in 2016.

Instances of widespread brutal abuse and torture are also fairly well documented and make for very grim, horrifying reading.

Malaysia is a small country, and surely our ability to influence what China does to its Uighyur population in Xinjiang is fairly limited.

That is not to say that we have no role to play whatsoever.

As we can see, it seems that a concerted international voice speaking out about China appears to be yielding some effect.

An international publicity stunt?

Needless to say, we should not be overly optimistic or patting ourselves on the back, to say that we have already effected change in Xinjiang.

A closer look at China’s latest moves points to progress, but not yet substantial progress.

We can see a glimpse of this in the list of diplomats that have visited Xinjiang so far...