New Zealand's parliament has passed a motion condemning China's treatment of Uighur people, but has fallen short of labelling it genocide.
The motion followed similar debates driven by conservative detractors of China in the UK and Canada's parliaments, two countries which are intelligence-sharing allies of New Zealand.
In New Zealand, a motion declaring the atrocities as genocide was brought by right-wing opposition party Act.
It gained support from left-wing minority parties the Greens and the Maori Party, but was watered down by the governing Labour party in a closed-doors meeting.
Instead of labelling China as responsible for "crimes against humanity and genocide", the motion was softened to read "severe human rights abuses".
On Tuesday, both Labour's Trade Minister Damien O'Connor and opposition leader Judith Collins said NZ's trade relationship would be hit if it made a declaration of genocide.
"Clearly the Chinese government wouldn't like something like that. I have no doubt it would have some impact (with trade). That's hardly rocket science," Mr O'Connor said.
Acting deputy leader Brooke van Velden said Labour was guilty of cowardice.
"We know that a genocide is taking place. The evidence is voluminous, from multiple sources, and credible," she said.
"Here in New Zealand, other parties, who had the power of veto, would not allow this debate to proceed if the motion mentioned genocide.
"(I) had to dilute it and soften it to gain the approval of New Zealand's governing party."
The amended wording brought the motion in line with a March statement by Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta issued jointly with Australia.
In parliament, Ms Mahuta highlighted the government's record of rebuking China - both in public and private - over the issue.
NZ and Australia continue to call for a United Nations-backed probe of the region.
It’s estimated China has detained more than one million Uighurs. Chinese authorities have also been accused of forced labour, forced sterilisation, sexual abuse and rape against the Muslim minority group.
