"Chinese Vision of Freedom" Redux

State propaganda outlet China Daily assures you that the rapid decline in Uighur birthrates is not at all due to forced sterilization, international studies notwithstanding. No, it's due to 'liberation of women'!

Decreases in the birthrate and natural population growth rate in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in 2018 resulted from the eradication of religious extremism, [an official PRC] report released on Thursday said....

The changes were not caused by "forced sterilization" of the Uygur population, as repeatedly claimed by some Western scholars and politicians, it said.

In a research report released last year, Adrian Zenz, a German scholar, said there had been a significant drop in the natural population growth rate in southern Xinjiang in 2018 and claimed that proved China was trying to control the size of the Uygur population....

In the process of eradicating extremism, the minds of Uygur women were emancipated and gender equality and reproductive health were promoted, making them no long baby-making machines, it said. Women have since been striving to become healthy, confident and independent.

Yes, of course. Also, it's hard to get pregnant while you and your husband are in separate re-education camps.