Why the US is labeling China鈥檚 treatment of Uyghurs as genocide
China has long been under scrutiny for the treatment of its Uyghur聽population. The outgoing U.S. Secretary of State has now used the word 鈥済enocide,鈥� which doesn鈥檛 trigger any immediate action but affects how the U.S. will formulate its China policies going forward.
China has long been under scrutiny for the treatment of its Uyghur聽population. The outgoing U.S. Secretary of State has now used the word 鈥済enocide,鈥� which doesn鈥檛 trigger any immediate action but affects how the U.S. will formulate its China policies going forward.
The United States secretary of state鈥檚 accusation of genocide against China touches on a hot-button human rights issue between China and the West.
In one of his final acts in office, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared Tuesday that China鈥檚 policies against Muslims in its Xinjiang region constitute 鈥渃rimes against humanity鈥� and 鈥済enocide.鈥�
Earlier the same day, British lawmakers narrowly rejected a proposal aimed at China that would have barred trade deals with any country deemed to be committing genocide.
Xinjiang, a far western region that borders central Asia, is home to the predominantly Muslim Uyghur ethnic group. China denies human rights violations and says its actions in Xinjiang are necessary to counter a separatist and terrorist threat.
Why is China accused of genocide?
Mr. Pompeo cited forced birth control among Uyghurs, which an聽Associated Press investigation聽documented last year, and forced labor, which has been linked by AP reporting to products imported to the U.S., including clothing, cameras, and computer monitors.
鈥淚 believe this genocide is ongoing, and that we are witnessing the systematic attempt to destroy Uyghurs by the Chinese party-state,鈥� Mr. Pompeo said in聽a written statement.
What is China鈥檚 response?
China defended its policies in Xinjiang, saying its constitution and laws treat all citizens equally. It denies imposing coercive birth control measures or forced labor, saying those behind the allegations are lying in an effort to smear China鈥檚 reputation and impede its development.
Xu Guixiang, a deputy spokesperson for the Xinjiang branch of the ruling Communist Party,聽told reporters last week聽that birth control decisions were made of the person鈥檚 own free will and that 鈥渘o organization or individual can interfere.鈥�
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying on Wednesday Mr. Pompeo鈥檚 designation of China as a perpetrator of genocide and crimes against humanity was merely 鈥渁 piece of wastepaper.鈥�
What happens next?
Mr. Pompeo鈥檚 genocide designation does not trigger any immediate repercussions, but requires the U.S. to take it into account in formulating policy toward China.
It puts pressure on incoming President Joe Biden to maintain a tough line against China. He and members of his national security team have expressed support for such a designation in the past.
Antony Blinken, Mr. Biden鈥檚 choice to be secretary of state,聽said Tuesday聽that the Trump administration was right to take a tougher stance on China, but that it had approached the matter poorly by alienating U.S. allies and not fully standing up for human rights elsewhere.
How will China respond?
China may wish to avoid an early skirmish with the Biden administration, saving its invective for Mr. Pompeo and calibrating its response based on the possibility of a lowering of tensions that have flared under President Donald Trump.
As with most sensitive issues, it has heavily restricted foreign media access to Xinjiang and sought to limit any domestic discussion to official pronouncements.
Still, the 鈥減arting shot鈥� from the Trump administration will likely further stress the relationship in the near term, said Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University of China. He said the already slim chances of reducing China-U.S. tensions have been further limited in the coming weeks and months.
What happened in London?
Lawmakers聽rejected by a 319-308 vote聽an amendment to a post-Brexit trade bill that would have forced the British government to revoke bilateral trade agreements with a country if the High Court of England found that it had perpetrated genocide.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab last week called the amendment 鈥渨ell-meaning鈥� but ineffective and counter-productive.
A significant number of rebel Conservatives backed the proposal, as did Jewish, Muslim, and 海角大神 community leaders. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to continue facing vocal calls within his Conservative party for a stronger and more coherent policy on China over its alleged rights abuses and violations of international norms.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.