Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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103. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will contribute or speak at the next Foreign Affairs Council, FAC, meeting regarding the reports of one million persons being detained in centres in China. [51603/19]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The situation in the Xinjiang region in China was not on the agenda at the most recent meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, which took place yesterday, on 9 December.

However, as I have stated on a number of occasions in this House in recent weeks, most recently on 5 December, Ireland and our EU partners remain deeply concerned about the credible reports of the treatment of ethnic Uighurs and other minorities in the Xinjiang region, including arbitrary detentions, widespread surveillance and restrictions on freedom of religious belief.

We have raised our concerns with our Chinese counterparts in both bilateral and multilateral contexts, and, along with other EU partners, will continue to do so in the appropriate fora.