Insta
US House Passes Uyghur Rights Bill Calling For Sanctions On China For Abuse Of Muslim Minorities In Xinjiang
US President Donald Trump (left) and Xi Xinping (right), China’s Emperor for Life.
The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that calls for the imposition of sanctions on China for its alleged abuse of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region.
On Wednesday (27 May), the Democrat-controlled House approved the bill with 431 votes in favour and one against, so the legislation promoted by the Republican-majority Senate two weeks ago will now go to President Donald Trump for it to be signed, reports Efe news.
Trump has not said whether it will be enacted into law.
The text of the bill urges the White House to impose sanctions against Chinese officials found to be responsible for the alleged abuses of the Uyghurs, over 1 million of which have been forcibly detained in internment camps.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that through the bill's approval, "we are sending a message to the persecuted that they are not forgotten".
"We're saying to the President of China, you may tell these people that they are forgotten, but they are not," she added.
Wednesday's voting was the first exercise of its kind under the new rule that allows members to cast proxy votes as introduced as part of the 45-day "remote proceedings" period due the COVID-19 pandemic.
The approval of the bill further complicates the already tense diplomatic relations between Washington and Beijing and comes on the same day that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Congress that Hong Kong can no longer be considered autonomous from China.
The US on Wednesday also requested a UN Security Council meeting to address the proposed Chinese national security law for Hong Kong, but this was rejected by Beijing, which said that the matter was an internal one that does not concern the world body.
This news has been published via Syndicate feed. Only the headline is changed.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest
