US And Allies Announce Sanctions Against Chinese Officials For ‘Serious Human Rights Abuses’ Against Uyghurs

The US announced sanctions Monday against two Chinese officials for “serious human rights abuses” against Uyghur Muslims, a step coordinated with the European Union, Canada and the United Kingdom, which imposed sanctions on the same individuals and others, the Treasury Department said.

“Chinese authorities will continue to face consequences as long as atrocities occur in Xinjiang,” said the Treasury Department’s Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control Andrea M. Gacki. “Treasury is committed to promoting accountability for the Chinese government’s human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention and torture, against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.”

The US designated Wang Junzheng, the Secretary of the Party Committee of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and Chen Mingguo, Director of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau. “These individuals are designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption,” the Treasury Department said.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has described the Chinese campaign against Uyghurs as genocide.

The coordinated sanctions announcement comes days after a heated clash between Blinken, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and senior Chinese officials prompted by US objections to Beijing’s human rights abuses, its territorial aggression and coercive economic practices.

Politico was first to report the US is set to unveil sanctions.
Extraordinary diplomatic clash signals tough times ahead for the US and China
Extraordinary diplomatic clash signals tough times ahead for the US and China
The European Union announced its sanctions Monday, naming Zhu Hailun, former head of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), and three other top officials, for overseeing the detention and indoctrination program targeting Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, they said, according to the Official Journal of the European Union.
China responded almost immediately with tit-for-tat penalties, announcing sanctions on Monday against 10 EU politicians and four entities for “maliciously spreading lies and disinformation.” They will be banned from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, while their related companies and institutions are restricted from doing business with China, it said.

David Sassoli, president of the European Parliament, said Monday that China’s sanctions on MEPs, the Human Rights Subcommittee and EU bodies are “unacceptable and will have consequences.”

-CNN