US-China relations: Blinken condemns China’s ‘baseless sanctions’

Beijing’s efforts ‘contribute to the growing international scrutiny of the ongoing genocide’ in Xinjiang, US secretary of state says
US stands ‘in solidarity with Canada, the UK, the EU, and other partners and allies around the world’, he says

Xinjiang cotton

Agence France-Presse

Published: 11:10am, 28 Mar 2021

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday that China’s tit-for-tat sanctions against two Americans in the growing dispute over Beijing’s treatment of Uygurs were “baseless” and would only shine a spotlight on the “genocide” in Xinjiang.

“Beijing’s attempts to intimidate and silence those speaking out for human rights and fundamental freedoms only contribute to the growing international scrutiny of the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang,” he said.

Blinken spoke out after China announced sanctions against two Americans, a Canadian and a rights advocacy body in response to sanctions imposed this week by the two countries over Beijing’s treatment of people from the Uygur ethnic minority group.

He called the sanctions on the two members of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom “baseless”.

At least 1 million Uygurs and people from other mostly Muslim groups have been held in camps in China’s Xinjiang region, according to rights groups, who accuse authorities of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labour.

The European Union, Britain, Canada and the United States have sanctioned several members of Xinjiang’s political and economic hierarchy in coordinated action over the allegations, prompting retaliation from Beijing in the form of sanctions on individuals from the EU and Britain.

“We stand in solidarity with Canada, the UK, the EU, and other partners and allies around the world in calling on the PRC [People’s Republic of China] to end the human rights violations and abuses against predominantly Muslim Uygurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang and to release those arbitrarily detained,” Blinken said.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also denounced Beijing and vowed to defend human rights.

China sanctioned Canadian opposition lawmaker Michael Chong and the parliamentary subcommittee on international human rights.

Beijing also said it will take measures against the chairwoman and vice-chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Gayle Manchin and Tony Perkins.

Those targeted will be banned from entering the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, while Chinese citizens and institutions are prohibited from doing business with the three individuals or having any exchanges with the subcommittee.

“The Chinese government is firmly determined to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests, and urges the relevant parties to clearly understand the situation and redress their mistakes,” the Chinese foreign ministry said.

“They must stop political manipulation on Xinjiang-related issues, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs in any form and refrain from going farther down the wrong path. Otherwise they will get their fingers burnt.”

Chong, who is a member of the opposition Conservative Party, said he would “wear [the sanctions] as a badge of honour”.

“This demonstrates that parliamentarians are being effective in drawing attention to the genocide of the Uygur people that is taking place in western China,” Chong said.

Chong urged the Trudeau government to “officially recognise the Uygur genocide,” and said the sanctions would have no practical effect because he had no plans to travel to China.

Additional reporting by Reuters

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