On Wednesday, New Zealand’s parliament backed away from calling what is happening in Xinjiang a “genocide,” opting instead for the watered-down language of “human rights breaches”. And we have a longstanding tradition, which the Ardern government has explicitly embraced, of a values- and morals-based foreign policy. The desire for good trading relations and concern against economic retaliation by China should not dictate New Zealand’s ability to publicly condemn human rights atrocities. Taking a strong stance against the human rights violations of China is not a geopolitical issue, it is a matter of principles and values. Guled Mire is an award-winning creative, community advocate, policy adviser, Fulbright New Zealand scholar and fellow at the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs.

Source: The Guardian May 06, 2021 19:52 UTC