The United States has denounced sanctions imposed by China against two American religious-rights officials and a Canadian lawmaker, Michael Chong, over the controversy of how china treats Uighur Muslims and other minority groups.
Michael Chong, is an opposition lawmaker in Canada and vice chairman of parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. Earlier in the month, the committee presented a report concluding the happenings in Xinjiang amount to a genocide and crimes against humanity.
According to the sanctions, the three individuals are banned from entering mainland China, Macau and Hong Kong. Further, Chinese citizens and institutions have been prohibited from conducting any business with the three.
This comes less than a week after Britain, European Union, Canada and the United States imposed travel and economic sanctions on some Chinese officials for serious human rights violations against Uighur Muslims and other Turkic minorities living in Xinjiang.
United States secretary of state Anthony Blinken, says the recent sanctions by China against the three individuals contribute to the increasing international investigation of ongoing crimes against humanity in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang.
“We stand in solidarity with Canada, the UK, the EU, and other partners and allies around the world in calling on China to end the human rights violations and abuses,” added Blinken.
