Saudi Arabia, Russia and 35 other states have written to the United Nations supporting China's policies in its western region of Xinjiang, in contrast to strong Western criticism.

China has been accused of detaining a million Muslims and persecuting ethnic Uyghurs in Xinjiang, and 22 ambassadors signed a letter to the UN Human Rights Council this week criticising its policies.

Countries including Australia, Britain, Germany and Japan called upon China to "refrain from the arbitrary detention and restrictions on freedom of movement of Uyghurs, and other Muslim and minority communities in Xinjiang".

But in a show of China's growing diplomatic clout, an opposing letter accused the West of "politicising human rights" and commended what it called China's "remarkable achievements" in human rights.

In addition to Saudi Arabia and Russia, the pro-China letter was signed by ambassadors from many African countries, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Belarus, Myanmar, the Philippines, Syria, Pakistan, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

"Faced with the grave challenge of terrorism and extremism, China has undertaken a series of counter-terrorism and de-radicalisation measures in Xinjiang, including setting up vocational education and training centres," it said.

The letter said security had returned to Xinjiang and the fundamental human rights of people of all ethnic groups there had been safeguarded.

There had been no terrorist attack there for three years and people enjoyed a stronger sense of happiness, fulfillment and security, the letter added.

The ruling Chinese Communist Party maintains that its repressive measures in Xinjiang are "counter-terrorism" tactics against ethnic Uyghur separatists and Islamic extremists.

While only several thousand Uyghur Muslims are estimated to have travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight for Islamic State, some 10 per cent of the entire Uyghur population is estimated to have been detained.

A report from Amnesty International in 2018 claimed that public expressions of faith were now deemed "extremist" by authorities, including growing a beard, praying or fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Those in detention camps are reportedly forced to chant slogans, watch propaganda videos, denounce their religion and pledge loyalty to the communist party in overcrowded cells.

No leader of a major Muslim-majority country has publicly condemned the treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang,

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-13/saudi-arabia-russia-support-china-treatme...

-----aaaannnnndddd they wonder why I'm a true blue right winger.

Now I'm really down in the dumps.