USA Bill to Put Sanction on China

• 29 May 2020

Recently, the United States House of Representatives approved a legislation calling for sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for oppression of Uighur Muslims.

Key Points

• The bill calls for sanctions against those responsible for repression of Uighurs and other Muslim groups in China’s Xinjiang province.
  
  • According to the United Nations estimates, more than one million Uighurs Muslims and members of other largely Muslim minority groups have been detained in camps in Xinjiang in a crackdown.
• The bill also calls on USA companies or individuals operating in the Xinjiang region to take steps to ensure their products do not include parts using forced labor of Uighurs.
• By passing the bill, the United States Congress has taken a firm step to counter China’s human rights abuses against the Uighurs.
  
  • It has sent a clear message that the Chinese government cannot act with impunity.
• However, China denies the mistreatment in the camps and says the camps provide vocational training. China also refuses to allow independent inspections.
• The bill has now been sent to the White House for President Donald Trump to veto or sign into law.
• This approval of legislation should be observed in the context of recent developments in the US-China relationship which have become increasingly tense. Few noteworthy developments are:
  
  • Covid-19 Blame: The USA President has blamed China again and again for worsening the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Trade War: Growing trade war between USA and China.
  • Issue of Panchen Lama: Over the release of Tibetan Buddhism’s 11^th Panchen Lama, who was taken into captivity at the age of six.
  • Hong Kong’s Autonomy: China has approved a proposal for bringing new national security legislation in Hong Kong, despite apprehensions raised by the USA.
  • South China Sea: China’s growing assertiveness over the South China Sea.

Uighurs Muslims

• The Uighurs are a predominantly Muslim minority Turkic ethnic group, whose origins can be traced to Central and East Asia.
• The Uighurs are considered to be one of the 55 officially recognized ethnic minority communities in China.
  
  • However, China recognises the community only as a regional minority and rejects that they are an indigenous group.
• Currently, the largest population of the Uighur ethnic community lives in Xinjiang region of China.
  
  • A significant population of Uighurs also lives in the neighbouring Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Way Forward

• With the USA signing out of major global deals and taking a backstage in global scenario, China certainly has taken advantage of this and has become more assertive in recent past. It’s up to the global community now to fix responsibility and accountability of major powers according to international laws and humanitarian values.

Source: TH