China must respect diversity

The clashes between the Uyghurs and Han Chinese in the Chinese province of Xinjiang are reminiscent of the Tibetan rebellion a year ago, Kristof Decoster writes in the daily De Standaard, noting however that progress has been made in that the media are now giving events more detailed and balanced coverage: "We can't close our eyes to the fact that China needs a new policy for dealing with its ethnic minorities. … The Chinese … have a tendency to crush anything that threatens to stand in the way of progress. The people at the top essentially remain technocrats who believe in a viable society and a colonisation of the Chinese Wild West. China must try to steer a middle course between the struggle for progress … and more respect for diversity and the preservation of old traditions. But I fear that in order to do this China's virtually paranoid fear of terrorism and separatism must first be reduced."

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