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China summons US chief diplomat over House approval of Uighur crackdown sanctions

BEIJING, Dec 4 (KUNA) -- China summoned the US mission head on Wednesday after the US House voted overwhelmingly in favour of sanctions on Chinese officials, on the grounds of alleged human rights abuses against the Muslim Uighur minority in Xinjiang.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Qin Gang called in William Klein, the US Embassy Acting Charge d'Affaires, to "lodge stern representations and strong protest" at the decision, Xinhua news agency reported.
The vice foreign minister regarded the move as an interference in Beijing's internal affairs, accusing Washington of "double standards." Earlier, China's Foreign Ministry underlined that the bill must be prevented from becoming law, warning "for all wrong actions and words... the proper price must be paid." The bill "wantonly smears China's efforts to eliminate extremism and combat terrorism" in the autonomous region, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying added in a statement.
Washington's move comes a week after President Donald Trump signed legislation in support of pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong - a move that also angered Beijing. (end) mab.sd