US and UK intensify stand over China’s abuse of Uyghurs

Washington/London: US and UK have taken an aggressive stand over China’s atrocities over Uyghur Muslims. The Trump Administration has indicated banning Chinese imports from companies that employ the Uyghurs as slaves. On the other hand, over 130 UK parliamentarians have written a letter to the Chinese envoy alleging the Chinese Communist regime was committing Uyghur genocide. The US and UK moves are indicative of the diplomatic war with China intensifying further.

The US Department of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has hinted at imposing a ban on the imports of cotton, tomatoes and several other products that are imported from China’s Xinjiang Province. The draft for the ban on these imports is ready, and officials informed that an official announcement would be made in the next few days. The ruling Chinese Communist Party was found to have employed the Uyghurs for forced labour for exports being made from the Xinjiang Province. Therefore, the imports of cotton, tomatoes and seven key products may be subjected to a ban.

In the past few months, US President Donald Trump and his administration have tried to corner China over trade, human rights and many other issues. The administration has made several crucial decisions against Uyghur abuse. In June, President Trump had signed the Human Rights Act, which has the provision to enforce sanctions against Chinese officials. After that, in July, the US blacklisted 11 companies that were using Uyghurs for forced labour. The list includes Chinese companies that supply raw materials and products to big US firms such as Apple, Amazon and Microsoft. Last month, the US had also announced imposing sanctions on Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a paramilitary organisation associated with the Chinese Communist Party. Now, by hinting at halting Chinese imports, the US seems to have prepared to deliver a new blow to China.

Even in the UK, the displeasure against China over Uyghurs is growing. More than 130 lawmakers from UK Parliament have written a stern letter to Liu Xiaoming, Chinese Ambassador to the UK. The letter expressed severe grievance against the atrocities the Chinese Communist Party was committing against the Uyghur Muslims. The lawmakers also alleged that China was committing Uyghur genocide. Furthermore, the lawmakers said that no one could ignore the abuse and demanded that the Chinese Ambassador must also clearly condemn the acts.

For the past few years, China is continually abusing the Uyghur Muslims from the Xinjiang Province and the international community has also taken cognisance of the matter. In 2018, a UN report had made the startling revelation that China had detained over 1.1 million Uyghurs in internment camps. Western nations then began targeting China over the treatment of Uyghurs and the latest US and UK action, also seems to be a part of the stand.

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