On January 19th, 2021, the outgoing American Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, officially designated the activities of the Chinese government in Xinjiang as genocide. The systematic internment, torture, and eradication of the religious beliefs and free thought of over one million minority, Muslim Uighurs is well deserving of the label. Uighur internees are beaten, exploited for cheap labor, and forced to renounce their religion for the satisfaction of their overseers. Over a million people have disappeared into a network of “re-education” camps, most of them for doing little more than being mildly religious, or traveling abroad. This is supposedly being done to curb “religious extremism,” but in reality, the Chinese Communist party fears disloyalty, or a focus on a religious figure before it. The party will stop at nothing to ensure that there is not the slightest threat to it, even if that so-called “threat” is people peacefully practicing their religion. It is so intent on its task of purging religion from China that it flat-out denies its activities on live TV. It is evident that the CCP has no intention of ceasing its abuse, or even diminishing its intensity.
So what is to be done? One would think that in the 21st century, nations would flock to condemn these horrific acts, and more importantly, take action to end them. Surely the liberal, human rights-centric Western democracies would care? In theory, they do. They condemned China’s human rights abuses at the UN, and most have released statements. But this is a rap on the knuckles, the easy way out. Most of them have done little else. One word explains these actions: trade. China and the EU recently signed a major trade deal, the biggest in their history. China is one of the EU’s largest trading partners, and thus has leverage over the EU that the EU does not have over China. Despite their enthusiastic pontification on human rights, the EU is willing to ignore glaring human rights abuses for economic gain.
Fine, the EU won’t do it, but what about majority Muslim nations globally? Surely they are outraged by the treatment that Muslims in Xinjiang are being put through? In short, they aren’t. While in any normal situation, condemnation and reprisals would be pouring in from across the Islamic world, not a peep has been heard in regards to Chinese human rights abuse. As a matter of fact, most of these nations defended China in the UN. China has a large amount of influence in these nations due the “Belt and Road Initiative,” a global Chinese-headed infrastructure and investment effort spanning half the globe. These nations rely on China too much economically to risk the consequences of angering the Communist Party.
So who is standing up for human rights and dignity, against the tyranny of the Chinese Communist Party? The answer does give some hope, if not much. The United States, and several of its Indo-Pacific allies seem determined to defend human rights internationally, and counter Chinese influence geo-politically. While some nations, such as Japan and South Korea may be less concerned about human rights-abuses in China proper, they do have reason to be concerned with such an aggressive neighbor to their immediate west. This, paired with the mindset of the United States, may have some effect. Japanese companies are moving out of Chinese manufacturing, South Korean ones are as well, and certain American corporations are heading out too. American companies are beginning to look at their Chinese relationships with apprehension, wary of being cancelled by a newly human rights-centric American public. Military tensions are ratcheting up throughout China’s land and sea borders. One can hope that with enough international backlash, Chinese authorities will lessen the assault on the Uighurs. The actions of the newly seated Biden administration will be the most relevant, whether it chooses to appease China, or whether the new administration chooses to put their foot down. The fate of the Uighurs rests in the hands of a few nations. Whether they will act or not remains to be seen.
Commentaires