China News Service, Beijing, June 29 (Reporter Li Jingze) Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian hosted a regular press conference on the 29th.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian. Photo by Xue Wei
A reporter asked: According to reports, on the 27th local time, an illegal immigrant death incident occurred in San Antonio, Texas, USA, killing at least 50 people. The Office of the United Nations Secretary-General also issued a statement expressing sadness. What is China's comment?
Zhao Lijian: I have also noticed relevant reports. This tragedy is heartbreaking. What is even more regrettable is that this tragic death of refugee immigrants is not accidental in the United States.
Data shows that in the 2021 fiscal year, U.S. law enforcement agencies arrested approximately 1.7 million illegal immigrants at the border between the United States and Mexico, setting a record high in 20 years, including 145,000 children. The United States holds immigrants in appalling conditions in immigration detention centers, where they often suffer abuse, violence, and inhumane treatment. In fiscal year 2021, the United States’ violent enforcement of immigration took the lives of 557 people, more than double the number in the previous fiscal year. Against the background of the epidemic, the United States has stepped up its efforts to repatriate thousands of illegal immigrants infected with the new coronavirus, despite opposition from the international community. This has directly caused the epidemic to intensify in many Latin American countries.
The United States should seriously examine and correct its own deplorable record on the refugee issue, take concrete measures to protect the human rights and basic rights of refugees, and prevent similar tragedies from happening again. (End)
