Theme: Xinjiang

Thailand’s National Security Council chief Chaipruak Doungprapat said that China needs to present a formal extradition request and that the decision on the two Uyghurs will go through the courts, with the two men able to defend themselves. The council will not decide on their deportation on its own, unlike the case of the 40 Uyghur men sent back to China last year. The two were released from prison in late October and are being held at the Suan Plu immigration detention center in Bangkok. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning defended bilateral cooperation against cross-border crimes, including illegal immigration, on Wednesday, and did not comment on whether Beijing had already presented an extradition request.