China's Foreign Ministry on Monday said Arsenal's Mesut Özil "had been completely deceived by fake news and false statements" after the midfielder criticised the country’s policy toward its Muslim Uyghur minority.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a briefing: "I don’t know if Mr. Ozil has ever been to Xinjiang personally but he’s been completely deceived by fake news and false statements have influenced his judgment."
"We also welcome Mr. Ozil to come to Xinjiang if he has the chance, to take a walk and look around, as long as he has a conscience, is able to distinguish right from wrong and uphold the principles of objectivity and fairness, he will see a different Xinjiang," he added.
Chinese state media, on the other hand, described Özil’s comments as “false”, noting the soccer star had “disappointed” Chinese soccer fans.”
The player wondered why Western media seemed more concerned with what was going on in East Turkestan than publications and channels across the Muslim world that opted to remain silent.
Özil quoted the words of Imam Ali, saying that if one can’t stop injustice, then at least one must spread the word about it.
The star also called for more unity among Muslims and to stand up to China’s assimilation policy and so-called “reeducation camps” for Uyghurs.
British soccer club Arsenal issued a statement Saturday distancing itself from Özil’s statement on social media criticizing China’s systematic abuse of the country’s Uyghur Muslim minority.
The club released a statement on Weibo, a widely popular Chinese social media site, as well as other platforms in which it distanced itself from Özil’s views.
