Sec. State: U.S. undeterred by China sanctions against religious freedom officials

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday declared China’s sanctions against four U.S. religious freedom officials last month “another PRC affront against universal rights,” in an escalation of diplomatic tensions ahead of next month’s Winter Olympics in Beijing.

“We remain undeterred by these actions, and we stand in solidarity with USCIRF and its staff,” Blinken said in the statement. “The United States is committed to defending human rights around the world and will continue to use all diplomatic and economic tools to promote accountability.”

Blinken continued, “Beijing’s continued attempts to intimidate and silence those speaking out for human rights only contribute to the growing international scrutiny of the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang. The United States again calls on the PRC to cease its acts of transnational repression, including coercive practices of imprisoning and denying freedom of movement to family members of Uyghur American activists, including individuals serving the American people.  These acts undermine the international rules-based order.”

The Chinese government blacklisted four commissioners of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on Dec. 23, including Chair Nadine Maenza, Vice Chair Nury Turkel, and Commissioners Anurima Bhargava and James W. Carr, in retaliation for U.S. diplomatic and legislative actions against Beijing over the detention and genocide of Uyghur Muslims.

These include a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in February announced by President Joe Biden on Dec. 6 and a bill passed by Congress that bans all imports from Xinjiang unless the supplier can prove no forced labor was involved. Biden signed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act behind closed doors on Dec. 23 to avoid angering Beijing.

The sanctions on the four commission members appear to be retaliation for U.S. sanctions on two Chinese officials connected to the local government of Xinjiang. Shohrat Zakir, who led the Xinjiang regional government until 2018, and Erken Tuniyaz, the current leader, were accused of participating in the region’s human rights abuses.