China refutes and opposes the groundless accusations made by the UK, the U.S. and a small group of countries at the third committee of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly against the human rights issues concerning its Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions, a statement quoted Chinese ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang as saying.

The UK side, in disregard of China's strong opposition, went ahead to deliver a so-called joint statement on Xinjiang at the Third Committee, making groundless accusations against China and interfering in China's internal affairs, said Zheng, who added that China strongly condemns and resolutely rejects this, and has made solemn representations to the UK side.

Xinjiang-related issues are purely China's internal affairs and no external force has the right to interfere. In the statement, the Chinese ambassador went on to say that residents in Xinjiang have enjoyed social stability, economic prosperity, ethnic unity, religious harmony and better living standards in Xinjiang.

The ambassador pointed out in the statement that over 100 countries have voiced strong opposition to the UK's attempt, which fully shows that China has the support of the international community.

"The UK's attack against China in the name of human rights cannot cover up its own series of human rights problems," reads the statement. "In recent years, the UK has seen recurring incidents of racial discrimination, and large numbers of violations of the rights of ethnic minorities and refugees." It added that externally, the UK's frequent interfering in other countries' internal affairs have also lead to violations of human rights in those countries.

"China will continue to put people front and center, better protect human rights and promote people's free and well-rounded development in the process of advancing Chinese modernization, and make greater contributions to the sound development of the international human rights cause," the embassy says, urging the UK side to follow the principles of mutual respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, so as to promote the China-UK ties to develop soundly and steadily.