BEIJING, Oct 10 — Beijing said today that comments by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accusing China of human rights violations in its treatment of Muslims constituted a smear against China.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang made the comments at a daily briefing today. He did not mention Pompeo in particular.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a television interview yesterday that China’s treatment of Muslims, including the Uighurs, in western China was an “enormous human rights violation” and Washington will continue to raise the issue. — Reuters