Most African states have stayed silent as Western nations and rights groups condemn China over a recent United Nations human rights report on China's treatment of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region. South Africa, the continent's third-largest economy, neither signed the letter supporting China's position nor staked out a position critical of China. Analysts told VOA that South Africa — seen as the continent's leading democracy — has simply mostly remained silent on the issue. "We've seen most African countries side with China, and this includes a lot of majority Muslim countries. "Plenty of other African states have abstained, declining to join China's counternarrative," she said, pointing to Eswatini and Liberia, who joined other countries in condemning China's policies in Xinjiang.

Source: Ethiopian News September 24, 2022 20:18 UTC