Input 2021.03.23 07:34
The UK, EU and Canada also announced sanctions at the same time… Alliance joint response
China responds strongly to retaliation… “Violation of Chinese sovereignty and interests”
Western countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, Europe and Canada, have begun imposing sanctions on China for the suppression of the human rights of ethnic minorities such as the Uighurs in the western Xinjiang region of China. After the inauguration of President Biden, multilateral public pressure, centered on major US allies, is in full swing.
The US Treasury Department announced on the 22nd (local time) that it will add two Chinese officials, including Wang Jun-jeong, secretary of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Party Committee, and Chen Ming-gou, head of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau, to the sanctions in relation to the crackdown on the human rights of minorities such as the Uighurs in China.
The sanctions were imposed by the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Liability Act, which prohibits dealing with U.S. companies, freezes U.S. property of personnel involved in severe human rights abuse or corruption, restricts visas, and prohibits transactions with U. Until now, the US has criticized China as being a genocide, saying that it is oppressing minorities such as Uighur in Xinjiang.
Allies Britain, Canada and the European Union (EU) also agreed to join the sanctions. The EU imposes human rights sanctions on 10 officials from six countries, including North Korea and Russia, including four Chinese officials and one organization responsible for the suppression of the Uighurs.
The two people sanctioned by the United States were sanctioned by the United States on that day, as well as the former Xinjiang Party Committee department secretary of Zhu Hairun and Wang Mingshan, the secretary of the Xinjiang Political and Legal Committee. Zhu Hairun and Wang Minshan are already subject to US sanctions.
The AFP news agency said that it was the first time that the EU sanctioned China on human rights abuses since it imposed an arms embargo after the 1989 Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
The UK, Canada and the EU have also announced sanctions against four Chinese officials and one organization in step with the US. British Foreign Minister Dominic Rab explained that they face sanctions, including travel restrictions and property freezing. Although the sanctions were announced individually, each country made it clear that they were working on a joint response through coordination between the alliances over the human rights issue of the Uighurs in China.
The US Treasury Department said, “Today’s action complements the actions taken by the EU, the UK and Canada. The US will continue to exercise strong leadership in its global efforts to combat serious human rights violations in Xinjiang and around the world.” It also assessed that the measure would be to hold like-minded partners to form a united front to hold people responsible for human rights violations and prevent access to the international financial system.
China retaliated strongly against it. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “It has decided to sanction 10 European officials and 4 organizations that have seriously infringed on China’s sovereignty and interests, and maliciously spread lies and fake information.” In addition, “related personnel and their families are prohibited from entering mainland China and Hong Kong and Macau,” he said. “Companies and organizations related to them are also restricted from travel to China.”