Citing human rights abuses against Uighurs, Tibet, Hong Kong, and religious minorities in China, the US State Department announced on Monday imposing visa restrictions and expanding the existing travel ban on Chinese officials.
Pointing out the genocide of Uighurs and repression in Tibet and Hong Kong, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Beijing perpetrators of human rights abuses must continue to face consequences for the repression, intimidation, and harassment of human rights activists and dissidents, both in China and around the world.
The US has long accused Beijing of committing genocide against its Uyghur minority since over a million Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities have been detained in mass internment camps in China’s Xinjiang province.
Although the repression of Uyghurs was mentioned as the main issue, visa restrictions would also be directed at Chinese officials involved in the persecution or complicit in, policies or actions targeting other ethnic and religious minorities.
The State Department did not identify which officials would be subject to the expanded ban nor said how many would be affected, noting only that it is barring those targeted from traveling to the United States.
It urged Beijing to end its crackdown on fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, the ongoing genocide, and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, and the repressive policies in Tibet along with other abuses elsewhere.
Blinken also discouraged China from trying to silence Uighur activists serving the American people by denying permission to leave China to the families of Uyghur American activists, pointing out that such practice is a form of transnational repression.
According to the spokesperson for China’s embassy in the US, Liu Pengyu, Washington has violated international norms and interfered in China’s internal affairs by imposing restrictions on Chinese officials.
He stressed that China would defend its national sovereignty by taking firm and forceful measures.
US President Biden has previously threatened China with consequences during his call with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping unless it disavowed Russia and joined the US-led embargo against Moscow.
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