Sunday, February 24, 2019

Business before Religion

Despite the Saudi Arabia's ruling Al Saud family's image of itself as the defender of Muslims across the world it has remained silent over China's treatment of Uighurs and other Muslim minorities.

Up to one million Uighurs and other minorities are being held in internment camps in Xinjiang as part of a draconian anti-terror and anti-separatist campaign.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has supported China's right to undertake "anti-terrorism" and "de-extremism" measures. Saudi Arabia respected and supported China's right to protect its own security and take counter-terror and de-radicalisation steps, the crown prince told Xi.

The World Uyghur Congress said MBS's failure to raise the issue of the Uighur detentions amounted to tacit support for "China's gross rights violations".

Miqdaad Versi, spokesperson for Britain's Muslim Council, called the remarks "disgusting" and a defence of "the use of concentration camps against Uighur Muslims".


Michael Clarke of Australian National University's National Security College, explained, "Basically, in the Saudi case there seem to be very clear incentives for it to not rock the boat in service of the Uighur issue."
China is Saudi Arabia's largest trading partner.
National oil giant Saudi Aramco said it had signed an agreement to form a Saudi-Chinese joint venture, worth more than $10bn, to develop a refining and petrochemical complex in northeastern Liaoning province. The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority also announced the signing of 35 non-binding memorandums of understanding, worth $28bn, including deals related to energy, mining, transportation and e-commerce.

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