China has accused Australian politicians of colluding with ‘terrorists’ in Xinjiang and warned Canberra it will get “burned” if it continues to back Uyghur activists.
The comments are the latest salvo in a war-of-words over the region, where human rights groups warn the Muslim Uyghur minority face horrific abuses.
Chinese media has seized on an article, published by fringe political group the Australian Citizens Party, criticising local politicians’ support for the East Turkistan Australian Association (ETAA), a Uyghur advocacy group.
The article claimed the ETAA supported terror groups in Xinjiang.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said this showed Uyghur activists were given a “free pass” in Australia because they criticised China.
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“It exposed the separatist, terrorist and extremist nature of (the) Xinjiang independence organisation in Australia and the despicable collusion of…