US imposes visa restrictions on China over detention of Uighurs, Kazakhs and Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang
The United States, on Wednesday, imposed visa restrictions on the Chinese government and Communist Party officials for the detention of Uighurs, Kazakhs and other members of Muslim minority groups in China’s Xinjiang region. The decision came after the US sanctioned commercial restrictions on China. https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1181654413913534464?s=20 Taking to Twitter, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said, “China has forcibly detained over one million Muslims in a brutal, systematic campaign to erase religion and culture in Xinjiang. China must end its draconian surveillance and repression, release all those arbitrarily detained and cease its coercion of Chinese Muslims abroad.” He further said, “Today, I am announcing visa restrictions on the Chinese government and Communist Party officials believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the detention or abuse of Uighurs, Kazakhs, or other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang.” China responded by denying any human rights violations in the Xinjiang region and accused the United States of using “made-up pretexts for its interference.” https://twitter.com/ChineseEmbinUS/status/1181686850832027656?s=20 Officials of the Chinese Embassy in the US said, “With the excuse of human rights, the US has gone one step further today and announced visa restrictions on Chinese officials, after imposing sanctions on some Chinese organizations and companies yesterday. It seriously violates basic norms governing international relations, interferes in China's internal affairs and undermines China's interests. China deplores and firmly opposes that. Xinjiang does not have the so-called human rights issue claimed by the US. The accusations by the US are merely made-up pretexts for its interference.” Also Read | Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit India from October 11-12 for the second informal summit in Chennai On state action in Xinjiang, the embassy official said, “Counter-terrorism and de-radicalization measures in Xinjiang are aimed at eradicating the breeding soil of extremism and terrorism. They are in line with Chinese laws and international practices, and are supported by all 25 million people of various ethnic groups in Xinjiang.” He added that China would not tolerate any foreign interference in its internal matters. -PTC News
