On August 16, 2021, ECFA participated – at the invitation of the Chinese Embassy in Cairo – in the virtual event convened by the Xinjiang Development Research Institute, on some issues related to Xinjiang, especially the human rights situation in the region in connection with Western criticism of China in this regard. The Chinese side explained the efforts of the Chinese government to achieve comprehensive development in Xinjiang, the measures it has taken to counter terrorism and eliminate extremism, and mechanisms for building a pattern and system for countering terrorism and extremism in China in general, as well as addressing the double standards of some anti-China countries on this region’s issues. ECFA made two interventions delivered by Ambassadors Dr. Ezzat Saad, ECFA Director, and Dr. Aly Hefni, Coordinator of Asian Affairs at ECFA, among many Chinese experts, and others from Russia, Britain, France, Germany, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan.

The ECFA Member noted that the international community attached significant importance to the issue of combating international terrorism, whether within the framework of the United Nations or other regional international organizations, following the attacks of September 11, 2001. At that time, all countries showed great interest in supporting and cooperating with the United States of America in the field of anti-terrorism. But the United States soon ventured into the invasion of Iraq, claiming that it possessed weapons of mass destruction. This invasion and its repercussions on the Middle East region became a clear example of the mismanagement of international peace and security on the part of the United States of America as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, as it was clear since the beginning that there are no such weapons in Iraq.

It was also emphasized that the propaganda campaign organized by some Western countries against China, which raises the issue of human rights and terrorism in the Xinjiang region, is mainly linked to the great rise of China to become the second largest economic power and the top trade power in today’s world, especially since the Xinjiang region is one of the most important regions in China, and one of the richest, and it contributes greatly to the progress that the country has achieved in many fields.

In this context, the event highlighted the need to take into account that human development, preservation of his rights and freedoms, and ensuring their protection within a framework of law, is a sacred duty for every state in accordance with its internal legal system and value system; and therefore it does not make sense that a particular civilization or a handful of nations instate themselves as the defenders of, or spokespersons for, these rights..

It was also emphasized that the Chinese vision of global governance, with its economic and political dimensions, is shared by a large majority of countries in the world, including Egypt.