US Sanctions Xi Jinping Loyalists Over Human Rights Abuses in Xinjiang Region, China

Despite the King's Statement "I Will Not Challenge the United States," Sanctions Proceed

Chinese President Xi Jinping Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The United States has sanctioned senior Chinese officials, including the autonomous region party secretary who is a member of the Political Bureau, citing human rights abuses against Uyghurs (Weiwuer) and others in China's Xinjiang region. The sanctions also include loyalists of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

On the 9th (local time), the State Department imposed visa restrictions on three Chinese Communist Party officials in the Xinjiang region and their immediate family members.

The targets include Chen Quanguo, Party Secretary of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Zhu Hailun, Secretary of the Xinjiang Political and Legal Affairs Commission, and Wang Mingshan, Secretary of the Autonomous Region Public Security Bureau. Chen Quanguo is known as an absolute loyalist trusted by President Xi and was included among the 25 members of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo in 2017.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "We will impose additional visa restrictions on other Chinese Communist Party officials believed to be responsible for the unjust detention and repression of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other minorities in Xinjiang."

The Treasury Department also designated these three Communist Party officials and the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau for sanctions. Huo Liujun, the former secretary of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau, was also included in the sanctions list.

These sanctions are based on the "Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act of 2016," which freezes the U.S. assets of individuals involved in serious human rights abuses or corruption, restricts their visas, and prohibits U.S. companies from doing business with them. This is the first time Chinese officials have been sanctioned under this law.

The sanctions came a day after Wang Yi, China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister, stated that China has no intention to challenge or confront the United States comprehensively.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.