GOOD MORNING FROM LONDON
China is Big News. A large number of academics + intellectuals have developed their professional careers by presenting themselves as “experts” on China. Some write; some lecture; some appear regularly in the media; some consult with large companies eager for guidance + advice on China.
Where the situation becomes uncomfortable is when these same people have reached conclusions that the allegations of genocide against China re the Uighurs are true. But rather than put their careers at risk, they soft-pedal + focus on the economy, on Party and State Congresses + other “safe” subjects. They tiptoe on “genocide” lest a dose of moral outrage will upset their Chinese hosts + jeopardise their careers as China experts.
My position on genocide is uncomplicated + I have researched the allegations + written about them in a 16,000-word essay. There is no genocide. The issues in Xinjiang are nothing to do with race + everything to do with attempts by Muslim extremists to turn Xinjiang into an independent state. There has been conflict, loss of life through military action + through execution. Followers, too, have been arrested + placed in re-education camps for the purpose of lessening the possibility that terrorism passes to the succeeding generations. The issues in Xinjiang are nothing to do with race + everything to do with security.
But US/UK based “experts” see this only as genocide. Now if there is genocide in China – or anywhere in the world – protests should be made repeatedly without restraint. No question. You cannot compromise with genocide. And the academic experts should not go soft on genocide because they are concerned for their own careers. They want to continue to visit China, brush up on their knowledge + assist them to continue to appear as “experts”. Is this inconsistent – even worse – hypocritical?. Let the academics, therefore, come clean, say what they think + stand up against genocide – if, as most Western experts believe, there is genocide. But they are more concerned with their careers than with intellectual honesty.
#370 ON 8 MARCH 2022
