The New Arab
Date: 20 August, 2019
By: Austin Bodetti

In contrast to China's persecution of Uighurs, Taiwan is defending the rights of Taiwanese Muslims, promoting its relationship with Muslim-majority countries, and welcoming Muslim immigrants and tourists.

While China has courted controversy by confining its Muslim minority groups to concentration camps and all but outlawing Islam itself, Taiwan has chosen another path. 

The island country has made a point of embracing its Muslim minority, improving its ties to Muslim-majority countries, and welcoming Muslim immigrants as part of a wider bid to distance itself from China's authoritarian reputation. 

Taiwan is even attempting to attract Muslim tourists, an atypical but effective initiative to demonstrate that, unlike China, the island country sees Islam as a component of its cultural heritage and foreign policy.

China considers Taiwan a Chinese province, a claim that most of the international community has respected. Even so, the island country has acted as a sovereign state in all but name since 1949, managing its own domestic and foreign policies.     [FULL  STORY]