The US Secretary of State, Pompeo stated China’s repression of the Uighurs and other Muslim people as genocide on Tuesday. This statement was agreed to by the Secretary of State of President-elect Joe Biden, Blinken. If right-wing groups are to be believed, China has detained up to a million Uighurs in the last few years in what they call re-education camps. BBC investigation claims the Uighurs to be used as forced labor.
Pompeo made this statement on the last day in office as a part of Trump’s administration. The United States has already had an ongoing situation with the Chinese, from the outbreak of the coronavirus to the trade policies. Pompeo made these statements on his last day of office under the Trump administration.
Even though, this statement by the US puts pressure on China it does not imply any penalties or implications on China. This comes as a final gift for the Chinese from the Trump administration in the form of goodbye. Biden’s team had spoken about the oppression by the Chinese authoritarian government in August 2020.
Despite the continuous allegations by the EU, the UK, and Australia over human rights violations in the north-western region of Xinjiang, the statement by the US stands as the strongest condemnation by any country against China. In the hopes of adding international pressure on China, it is still doubtful whether they will change their behavior.
China quickly retaliated to the statement by the US, saying that even America committed suicide by mishandling the pandemic. China stands strong with its consolidation of power and positive economic growth, on the contrary, with a chaotic transfer of power in Washington D.C. It is becoming difficult for the US and China to maintain their economic ties amidst human rights and economic interests, which makes it exceedingly difficult to strike a balance by either side.
The fight between China and the US does not seem to end with the Trump administration as the Biden government will be compelled to announce a concrete policy with a clear stand on the issue of the Uighur Muslims.
