U.S. State Department’s human rights report releases Xinjiang genocide, eradication of epidemic prevention becomes the focus again

On Monday, the U.S. State Department released the 2022 Human Rights Report by Country. The China section of the report lists as many as 25 human rights violations, criticizing Beijing for abusing its power and even continuing to commit genocide in Xinjiang. A US State Department official told this station that when dealing with China, the human rights situation has always been the focus of the United States.

The U.S. State Department released the "2022 Human Rights Report by Country" on March 20, naming China, Russia, Iran and other countries with poor human rights records.

Report Exhibits Human Rights Violations by Beijing Authorities

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said at the report conference that day regarding China’s record of human rights violations: “The Chinese government continues to abuse its power, including genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs, suppression of Tibetans, and containment of Hong Kong’s fundamental rights, and targeting people on the mainland who want to exercise their fundamental freedoms."

The 87-page report on China, citing several Radio Free Asia news reports, listed 25 human rights violations by the Chinese government, including politically motivated killings, government abuse, enforced disappearances, Transnational repression, residential surveillance at designated locations, detention of political prisoners, and severe restrictions on people's freedom of religious belief, migration, Internet use, peaceful assembly, and political participation.

Erin Barclay, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) of the U.S. State Department, answered a question from our reporter at a press briefing. .

Barclays: “The human rights situation in China is an issue that we regularly raise with our partners and allies in our bilateral relations, as well as in multilateral settings that include China. This includes seeking to hold China accountable for genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, and China Human rights violations everywhere. Human rights remain (one of the top) topics we discuss with China, and we continue to emphasize it in our high-level discussions."

Controversial "zero-clearing epidemic prevention policy" included

The report specifically focuses on the issue of Xinjiang, pointing out that genocide and crimes against humanity continue in Xinjiang. The victims are mainly Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities. More than 1 million people have been arbitrarily detained or severely deprived of their liberty. These victims also suffered mass abuse, forced birth control or abortion, forced labor, and restrictions on freedom of religion, expression, and movement.

In addition, the "zero-clearing policy" implemented by the Chinese government during the epidemic last year and sparked heated discussions is also on the list. In addition to the fire in Urumqi, Xinjiang, and the "White Paper Movement" that occurred at the end of last year, the report also mentioned the closure of Shanghai, large-scale isolation centers and forced isolation policies, violations of citizens' privacy, and "Health Treasure" with the function of restricting movement. in.

The report also lists a number of human rights activists in China who were arrested, disappeared, or even sent to mental hospitals because they protested against the lockdown measures, including Ji Xiaolong and Ding Yan.

Regarding the international situation, the U.S. State Department also criticized the Chinese government for supporting Russia's aggression. Blinken pointed out at the report conference that Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Moscow after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin showed that China did not hold Russia accountable for atrocities committed in Ukraine. Rather than condemning Russia, it is more about providing diplomatic cover for Russia to continue to commit these crimes.