China's President Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that China will always stick to "mutual respect" in its efforts to deal with global challenges.
Xi made the comment during a visit to Portugal, the last stop on a trip that included a meeting of G20 leaders in Buenos Aires, where China and the United States agreed to negotiate a solution to their trade war.
"Even though the world is facing many challenges, China will always adhere to mutual respect and peaceful development, promote peace and stability," Xi said in a short speech.
He added that during his trip he had felt people's aspirations for "peace, stability, prosperity and a better life".
During Xi's two-day visit to Lisbon, Portugal and China signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation on Beijing's belt and road initiative - which promotes expanding land and sea links between Asia, Africa and Europe, with billions of dollars pledged for infrastructure development.
His visit reinforced China's strong presence in the Iberian country, particularly as an investor in sectors from energy to banking.
The memorandum covers a wide range of sectors, especially digital connectivity and electric mobility, according to a statement from the Portuguese prime minister's office.
China’s ruling Communist Party has dispatched 1.1 million local government workers to infiltrate and spy on ethnic minorities in Xinjiang.The initiative, dubbed “Pair Up and Become Family,” aims to monitor the living rooms, dining areas, Muslim prayer areas, weddings, funerals and other intimate events of ethnic minorities as part of a homestay program.Government workers live with assigned families every two months for five days at a time.“The government is trying to destroy that last protected space in which Uighurs have been able to maintain their identity,” said Joanne Smith Finley, an ethnographer at England’s Newcastle University.Germany concerned of human rights situation in XinjiangUyghurs who have taken refuge in Turkey believe the initiative aims to push them into distancing themselves from Islam toward a more secular lifestyle.Any deviation from the lifestyle prescribed by Chinese President Xi Jinping can be dubbed by authorities as extremism. Persons in the presence of these spies posing as faux relatives cannot pray or wear religious dress.Abdulahir Yunus, who lives in China’s Urumqi city, said: “They cannot pray. Praying at home, or even reading the Quran, could put the whole family at risk.”“Their aim is to assimilate Uyghurs. The Chinese want us to eat like them, sleep like them and dress like them.”Xinjiang region is home to around 10 million Uyghurs. The Turkic Muslim group which makes up around 45 percent of the population of Xinjiang, has long accused China’s authorities for cultural, religious and economic discrimination.Academic withdraws from China-backed event for Uyghurs‘I begged them to kill me,’ says Uyghur woman who survived Chinese detention campChina’s ‘vocational camps’ employ draconian measures, use 360-degree surveillance in washroomsScholars condemn China for mass detention of Muslim Uighurs
China implements homestay program to monitor ethnic minorities
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he believed Chinese President Xi Jinping was being sincere at their meeting on trade and that Beijing had been sending "strong signals" since then."Very strong signals being sent by China once they returned home from their long trip, including stops, from Argentina. Not to sound naive or anything, but I believe President Xi meant every word of what he said at our long and hopefully historic meeting. ALL subjects discussed!" Trump tweeted. Very strong signals being sent by China once they returned home from their long trip, including stops, from Argentina. Not to sound naive or anything, but I believe President Xi meant every word of what he said at our long and hopefully historic meeting. ALL subjects discussed!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 5 Aralık 2018 
Trump says he believes China's Xi is sincere on trade