https://www.rt.com/news/522941-new-zealand-china-uighur-genocide-western-allies/
New Zealand refuses to accuse China of genocide against Uighurs in break with Western allies
The New Zealand parliament has expressed ‘grave concern’ about China’s alleged treatment of Uighur Muslims but, in a break from its Five Eyes spy network partners, the government has refused to call it a genocide.
The divide between New Zealand and its Western partners was outlined during a parliamentary session on Wednesday, as politicians unanimously backed a motion expressing “grave concern” about allegations of human rights violations against Uighur Muslims.
The declaration only managed to secure the support of MPs after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s left-wing Labor Party ensured the motion contained no reference to claims of a genocidal act by Beijing against the minority group, claims that are accepted by some of New Zealand’s closest allies.
Three members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States have directly claimed that China’s behavior towards Uighurs in Xinjiang province constitutes genocide but, so far, Australia and New Zealand have cautiously refused to go that far.
China’s embassy in New Zealand has not commented on the motion passed by parliament but, previously, Beijing has strongly refuted claims of a genocide or even mistreatment of Uighurs.