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BEIJING, Aug. 3-- China on Monday urged the United States to immediately withdraw its wrong decision of imposing sanctions on the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and two relevant officials, vowing to "resolutely fight back" if the U.S. side is bent on behaving like this. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin made the remarks in response to relevant U.S. move, and a recent statement by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticizing China's Xinjiang policy. "The U.S. action is a gross interference in China's internal affairs and a grave violation of basic norms governing international relations. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it," Wang told a daily press briefing. He said Xinjiang-related issues are never about human rights, ethnicity or religion, but about counter-terrorism and anti-separatism. "Xinjiang affairs are purely China's internal affairs. The United States has no right and no ground to interfere." Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps has made important contributions to promoting Xinjiang's development, ethnic unity, social stability and border security, living in harmony with all ethnic groups as a friendly and supportive companion, said Wang. "The U.S. allegation is nothing but rumor-mongering and mud-slinging." The Chinese government is resolute in upholding its sovereignty, security and development interests, in fighting violent terrorist, separatist and religious extremist forces, and in opposing any foreign interference in Xinjiang affairs and China's other internal affairs, Wang said. | 
