Washington, July 2 (IANS) A bipartisan group of senior US lawmakers has sharply criticised China’s newly enacted Ethnic Unity and Progress Law, saying it would further erode the rights of ethnic and religious minorities while expanding Beijing’s ability to target critics beyond its borders.
The statement was led by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch and Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, along with Senators John Curtis, Jeff Merkley, Jacky Rosen, Ted Budd, Tim Kaine, Tammy Duckworth and Lindsey Graham. It was also endorsed by House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar, Ranking Member Ro Khanna and Representative Young Kim.
The lawmakers issued the statement ahead of the Chinese government’s implementation of the law promoting “ethnic unity and progress.”
“For decades, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has denied ethnic and religious minority groups—including Tibetans, Uyghurs, and Mongolians—the right to self-determination, even as this internationally recognised human right remains in China’s constitution,” the lawmakers said.
They alleged that China’s newly enacted law “codifies Beijing’s unjust policies that increasingly seek to erase the religion, culture, and language of minority groups located both inside and outside China.”
The bipartisan group expressed particular concern over provisions that they said extend Beijing’s legal reach beyond China’s borders.
“In particular, we are deeply concerned by language in the law that demands ideological compliance with the CCP, mandating that even people outside China deemed to be undermining ‘ethnic unity and progress’ by the Chinese government can be held legally responsible in China,” the statement said.
According to the lawmakers, the legislation would significantly strengthen Beijing’s ability to pursue critics overseas.
“This sweeping legislation gives Beijing near limitless authority to prosecute those who would speak out against Beijing’s oppression and only continues its development of a legal framework to legitimise its transnational repression,” they said.
The senators also pledged continued congressional opposition to what they described as China’s efforts to interfere beyond its borders and suppress minority communities.
“We will continue to push back against the CCP’s efforts to undermine the sovereignty of other countries and support the internationally recognised human rights of Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other ethnic and minority groups,” the statement said.
“All people deserve to have a say in their own future, preserve their culture, and freely express their religious beliefs.”
The United States has, over several administrations, imposed sanctions on Chinese officials and entities over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and restrictions in Tibet. Washington has repeatedly accused Beijing of carrying out policies that suppress the cultural, religious and linguistic rights of Uyghurs, Tibetans and other minority groups.
China has consistently rejected those allegations, maintaining that its policies in Xinjiang, Tibet and other ethnic minority regions are intended to promote national unity, economic development and social stability. Beijing says issues involving ethnic minorities are its internal affairs and has accused the United States and other Western governments of politicising human rights.
–IANS
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