UN rights chief cites ‘communication’ about issues in China

By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — The new U.N. human rights chief says his office has opened “channels of communication” to help follow up on concerns about the rights of minorities in China, including Uyghur Muslims and Tibetans. Volker Türk did not detail how his office plans to follow up on a critical report on Xinjiang by his predecessor, Michelle Bachelet, in August. His address Tuesday to the Human Rights Council had been highly anticipated by independent rights advocates who were looking for a harder line against China over its policies in places like Xinjiang and Hong Kong. His comments fell short of their hopes for a stronger message.