Survivors narrate rapes and horror in Xinjiang 4:35
(CNN) –– The
United States announced sanctions against two Chinese officials on Monday for "serious human rights abuses" against Uighur Muslims, the Treasury Department reported.
According to the agency, it is a coordinated measure with allies such as the European Union, Canada and the United Kingdom, which imposed sanctions on the same individuals and others.
The announcement was part of a larger show of unity by the US and its international allies.
In that regard, they all condemned Beijing's crackdown on Uighur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang province.
ANALYSIS |
Insults fly as Biden takes on Russia and China
Joint sanctions against China
In a carefully orchestrated series of declarations, the US and its allies in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific created a unified show of force.
In this context, he announced the sanctions and issued condemnatory comments, which apparently seek to isolate and pressure Beijing.
The European Union released its own sanctions, which were followed by the US designations. Then a joint statement was issued by Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, and the foreign ministers of the intelligence alliance known as Five Eyes, which make up the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
“The evidence, including that of the Chinese government's own documents, satellite images and eyewitness testimony, is overwhelming.
China's extensive crackdown program includes severe restrictions on religious freedoms, the use of forced labor, mass arrests in internment camps, forced sterilizations and concerted destruction of Uighur heritage, "the joint statement said.
The five countries took action together with the European Union, according to the official note.
The United States sanctioned Wang Junzheng, secretary of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Party Committee.
Also Chen Mingguo, director of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau.
"These individuals are designated pursuant to Decree 13818, which builds on and implements the Global Magnitsky Law on Human Rights Responsibility and targets the perpetrators of serious human rights abuses and corruption," the Treasury Department noted.
advertising
"The Chinese authorities will continue to face consequences as atrocities take place in Xinjiang," said Andrea M. Gacki, director of the Foreign Assets Control Office of the Treasury Department.
“The Treasury (Department) is committed to promoting accountability for human rights abuses committed by the Chinese government.
Including arbitrary detention and torture against Uighurs and other ethnic minorities, "he added.
Persecution of Uighurs does not stop at the Chinese border 4:18
A genocide
Blinken called the Chinese campaign against the Uighurs a genocide.
"Amid growing international condemnation, the People's Republic of China continues to perpetrate genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang," Blinken said in a statement.
“The United States reiterates its call on the People's Republic of China to end the crackdown on Uighurs, who are predominantly Muslim, and other minority ethnic and religious groups in Xinjiang.
Including the fact of releasing all those detained arbitrarily in internment camps and detention centers, "he insisted.
The announcement of coordinated sanctions comes days after a heated confrontation between Blinken, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and senior Chinese officials.
The incident followed objections by the United States regarding human rights abuses in Beijing, its territorial aggression and coercive economic practices.
"Solidarity"
Blinken emphasized last week that the US voiced allies' concerns.
In that sense, he indicated that, in the future, Washington would act in coordination with them as well.
An approach that US officials say is more effective than targeting China individually.
For the first time, Pope Francis refers to China's Uighurs as 'persecuted'
On Monday, the secretary said that the United States had “taken this action in solidarity with our partners in the United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union… These actions demonstrate our continued commitment to work multilaterally to promote respect for human rights and shed light on on those responsible for these atrocities in the government of the People's Republic of China and the Communist Party of China.
The Treasury Department said in a statement that “complementary actions utilized by these global human rights sanctions regimes allow like-minded partners to form a unified front to identify, promote accountability, and disrupt access to the international financial system for abusers. from the human rights".
Sanctions against Myanmar
Also on Monday, the United States announced a second set of sanctions coordinated with the European Union.
These actions seek to sanction Myanmar military officials and two military units for their violent repression of democratic protests there.
And in a drastic show of international solidarity against Chinese repressive practices, diplomats from more than two dozen countries gathered on Monday to try to access a court in China on Monday, where detained Canadian Michael Kovrig faced trial in Beijing on espionage charges.
Access was denied.
The situation of Muslim Uighurs in China 4:17
The
Politico
portal
was the first to report that the United States was going to announce sanctions.
The European Union announced its sanctions on Monday.
It pointed to Zhu Hailun, former head of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), and three other senior officials overseeing the detention and indoctrination program targeting Uighurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, according to the Official Gazette of the Union. European.
An eye for an eye response
China responded almost immediately, with retaliatory sanctions.
In that sense, this Monday he announced measures against 10 European Union politicians and four entities for "maliciously spreading lies and disinformation."
They will be banned from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.
While its companies and related institutions have restricted access to business with China, the country added.
David Sassoli, president of the European Parliament, said on Monday that China's sanctions on MEPs, the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the bodies of the European Union are "unacceptable and will have consequences."
Along the same lines, the Vice President of Foreign Affairs and High Representative of Foreign Affairs of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, said on Monday that China's retaliatory sanctions against European Union officials are "regrettable and unacceptable."
"Human rights are inalienable"
Instead of changing its policies and addressing our legitimate concerns, China has turned a blind eye again.
And these measures are regrettable and unacceptable, "he said during a press conference in Brussels on Monday.
Borrell pointed to China's sanctions against "members of the European Parliament, academics and entities with a political and security committee, the subcommittee on human rights, as well as national foundations."
He added: “This is something that we consider unacceptable.
It does not respond to our legitimate concerns.
ANALYSIS |
China looms as Biden's biggest foreign policy challenge.
This is how the relationship between Washington and Beijing is currently
Borrell reiterated that China's action will not change "the determination of the European Union to defend human rights and respond to serious violations and abuses."
He also called on Beijing to engage in a dialogue on human rights issues, rather than remain "confrontational".
"Human rights are inalienable rights," Sassoli insisted.
The European Union said that Zhu Hailun had been described as the "architect" of this Uighur indoctrination program.
And, therefore, “he is responsible for serious human rights violations in China.
In particular, large-scale arbitrary arrests inflicted on Uighurs and people from other Muslim ethnic minorities, ”the bloc detailed.
The sanctions marked the first time the European Union has taken action against China with its regime to sanction human rights.
The system came into effect in December 2020 and was used for the first time due to the poisoning of Alexei Navalny.
"Interfering in a crude way"
In a statement from the Foreign Ministry, China accused the European Union of "ignoring and distorting the facts."
As well as "grossly interfering in China's internal affairs" by imposing sanctions against its officials.
Chinese individuals listed in the European Union are now subject to an asset freeze.
They will also be banned from traveling to the European Union.
The sanctions also prohibit the people and entities of the block from making funds available, directly or indirectly, to the people included in the list.
China defends mass arrests in Xianjiang 0:33
The European Union said that Zhu Hailun was "responsible for maintaining internal security and law enforcement at XUAR.
As such, he held a key political position in charge of overseeing and implementing a large-scale surveillance, detention and indoctrination program targeting Uighurs and people from other Muslim ethnic minorities. '
Zhu is a former secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), a former deputy secretary of the XUAR Party Committee and a former deputy director of the regional legislative body, according to the Official Journal of the European Union.
Three other Xinjiang officials received sanctions: Wang;
XUAR Party Committee Undersecretary Wang Mingshan and Chen Mingguo, director of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau.
Those sanctioned by China
In addition to 10 European politicians, China also sanctioned four entities: the Political and Security Committee of the Council of the European Union, the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament, the Mercator Institute for China Studies and the Alliance of Democracies Foundation.
"The Chinese government is firmly determined to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests," the statement added.
"The Chinese side urges the European Union to reflect on itself, face directly the seriousness of its mistake and correct it.
He must stop lecturing others on human rights and interfering in their internal affairs.
Eric Cheung, in Hong Kong, contributed to this report.
China Sanctions Uyghurs
