Turkish politician: China's threats cut no ice with us

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - A Turkish opposition party leader on Wednesday said that they will continue asserting the rights of the Uyghur community despite opposition by China.

Speaking to her Good (IYI) Party's parliamentary group, Meral Aksener slammed the Chinese Embassy’s social media posts.

"These threats cut no ice with us," Aksener said.

Aksener noted that they would struggle for Uyghurs on the international front "when they come to power."

"But, we will never give up this struggle. And we will not give up our struggle until we take your dirty hand off the Uyghur issue. You know it like this," she said.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned the Chinese ambassador to Ankara over the Chinese Embassy’s social media posts to convey Ankara's reservations.

In a tweet on Tuesday, the embassy tagged Aksener and Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, saying: “The Chinese side resolutely opposes and strongly condemns any challenge by any person or power to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Chinese side reserves the right to a rightful response.”

The embassy was responding to tweets by Aksener and Yavas in which they recalled the 1990 killing of Uyghurs by Chinese forces in the Baren Township.

“The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is an integral part of Chinese territory. This is an internationally accepted and indisputable fact,” the embassy said.