Washington, Sept. 26 -- The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has strongly criticised Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Urumchi on Tuesday, where he marked the 70th anniversary of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The exile group denounced the event as a staged propaganda exercise that concealed what it describes as an ongoing genocide against Uyghurs.

According to Chinese state media, Xi was welcomed with carefully arranged performances by Uyghur dancers and children waving national flags. For many Uyghurs, such images highlight the contrast between state-orchestrated celebrations and the reality of life under repression, including mass incarceration, forced labour, extensive surveillance, family separations, and the systematic de...