China rejects Islamophobia, opposes anti-Islam actions

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – Rejecting Islamophobia, China on Tuesday opposed any manifestation of anti-Islam actions.

“No one should be allowed to use 'freedom of speech' as an excuse to stoke conflict and pit one civilization against another,” Mao Ning, spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Beijing.

She was responding to a recent Quran-burning incident in Sweden, according to a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The spokeswoman said China consistently advocates for mutual respect, inclusivity, and the exchange of knowledge among civilizations, and "firmly condemns extremist actions that target diverse religious beliefs, and incite clashes between civilizations."

Referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposal for Global Civilization Initiative, Mao said: "China will partner with the international community to champion the Global Civilization Initiative, fostering dialogue and exchanges between civilizations, and safeguarding the world's cultural diversity."

A 37-year-old man of Iraqi origin, Salwan Momika, publicly burned a copy of the Holy Quran in front of Stockholm Mosque in Sweden last Wednesday while under police protection.

This act was deliberately timed to coincide with Eid al-Adha, a significant Islamic religious festival observed by Muslims worldwide.

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from across the Islamic world, including Türkiye, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Senegal, Morocco, and Mauritania.

In a separate incident back in January, a far-right politician also burned a copy of the holy book outside the Turkish Embassy in Sweden.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation called for collective measures by Muslim nations to prevent such incidents in the future.