US President Joe Biden today expressed his “solidarity” with China’s Uyghurs as part of his message to Muslims around the world as they prepare to celebrate the month of Ramadan.

“Along with our partners, the United States stands in solidarity with Muslims who continue to suffer oppression, including the Uyghurs in China, the Rohingya in Myanmar, and other Muslim minorities facing persecution around the world,” Mr. Biden said. in a press release released by his services.

“During this holy time of reflection, the U.S. is also expressing support for Muslim communities facing suffering and disaster,” he added, referring to the victims of the deadly February 6 earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria and the flood victims in Pakistan.

“Today especially, we remember the universal human right to religion, to pray, and to preach our religious beliefs peacefully and openly,” Mr. Biden added.

The US president’s reference to China’s Uyghurs comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The U.S. government accuses China of “genocide” against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, an autonomous region in northwestern China that is home to many Muslims, especially members of the minority, and where there have been repeated bloody attacks over the years.

Chinese authorities, who blame the attacks on separatists and jihadists, have launched a wide-ranging crackdown in recent years in the name of fighting terrorism.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has spoken of possible “crimes against humanity” in Xinjiang, a charge Beijing rejects. The Chinese government is still criticized by Western governments for mass incarceration of Uyghurs in “training” camps.