Citing “information reasonably indicating” the use of forced labor, the U.S. placed an import ban on Xinjiang-based Hoshine Silicon Industry Company. Several other Chinese solar companies were also blacklisted.
UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet raised concerns about “reports of serious violations” in Xinjiang, while Canada led more than 40 countries in raising grave concerns about Beijing’s human rights abuses. China responded by accusing Bachelet of “erroneous remarks” and rallying 65 countries to its side.
The G7 world leaders concluded their first in-person summit since the beginning of the pandemic by criticizing China over several issues, including human rights. They also agreed to compete with China in infrastructure and vaccine distribution in developing countries.
Beijing has quickly formulated and passed a new law to retaliate against any individual or organization who implements “discriminatory restrictive measures” — i.e. sanctions — against Chinese citizens or organizations, or those who “interfere in China’s internal affairs.”
China is America’s “greatest geopolitical and geoeconomic challenge” according to the Senate, which passed a bill to spend more than $250 billion to ensure that the U.S.A. stays on top. But will it work?
The European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a resolution today condemning China’s human rights abuses and counter-sanctions over Xinjiang. Ratification of the EU-China investment deal is off the table, the resolution says, until Beijing removes those sanctions.
A U.S. State Department official described China’s Xinjiang region as “an open-air prison” and reiterated the Department’s view that Beijing is committing genocide against Uyghurs. Meanwhile, several more reports have detailed how the Chinese government is chipping away at Muslim culture and life in Xinjiang.
For the past year, international alarm over China’s abuse of Uyghurs has been heightened by reports of targeted birth control. A New York Times report confirms that even as birth restrictions have loosened in much of China, they have tightened and become more coercive for Muslims in Xinjiang.
Nurali, after memorizing the Quran, brought immense pride to his family. But back home in Xinjiang, his mother, who financed his studies, was accused of abetting "terrorism," and sentenced to 16.5 years in prison.