US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has accused China of committing gross human rights violations, particularly in the Xinjiang region, in a speech on the annual human rights report released on Tuesday.
"China continues to commit crimes against humanity in Xinjiang," Blinken said regarding the chapter in the report on China.
The US has branded China as an authoritarian state in the report.
"The People's Republic of China is an authoritarian state in which the Chinese Communist Party is the paramount authority. Communist Party members hold almost all top government and security apparatus positions," the report said.
"Genocide and crimes against humanity occurred during the year against predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang," it added.
The report adds that Chinese government officials and the security services often committed human rights abuses with impunity. "Authorities often announced investigations following cases of reported killings by police but did not announce results or findings of police malfeasance or disciplinary action. Enforcement of laws on corruption was inconsistent and not transparent, and corruption was rampant."
Xinjiang is the largest province in China with a population of 25 million people from various ethnic groups, but about 43 per cent of them are Uyghurs.
UN experts report states that up to 1 million ethnic Uyghurs could be in so-called "re-education camps" in Xinjiang.
Beijing has denied the existence of re-education camps on numerous occasions, insisting that China fully comply with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
Recently, United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet announced plans to visit China in May, including a trip to Xinjiang, after reaching an agreement with Beijing.
( With inputs from ANI )
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