In October 2020, more countries at the UN joined the condemnation of China over human rights abuses in Xinjiang with German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen speaking on behalf of the group.[1][2][202] The total number of countries that condemned China increased to 39[note 5], while the total number of countries that defended China decreased to 45[note 6]. Notably, 16 countries[note 7] that defended China in 2019 did not do so in 2020.[40]