Britain accused China of human rights violations and abuse against its Uighur minority and announced new rules to ban imports of goods suspected of being made using forced labour.

UK condemn Chinese abuse against Uighur minority

China had an "appalling year" in terms of human rights in 2020, said Human Rights Watch on Wednesday. 
 
The group took into account the crackdown on free speech in Hong Kong with new security laws, the persecution of Uighur Muslims, and attempts at silencing people that were vigorously reporting on the pandemic.

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Just last week, a court in China sentenced a citizen-journalist to four years in jail after he reported from Wuhan, the original epicentre of the virus where it initially began. Many others who attempted to report on the pandemic have since then disappeared.

"To crack down on whistleblowers and citizen-journalists at this particular moment ... helps highlight to the rest of the world what the consequences of violations inside China can be," Sophie Richardson, Human Rights Watch (HRW) for China claimed after releasing its yearly report.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-denies-forceful-use-of-birth-control-measures-on-uighur-women-355991" hreflang="en">China denies forceful use of birth control measures on Uighur women</a> 
 
Earlier, HRW's Executive Director Kenneth Roth had told Reuters that China is the biggest threat to human rights around the world. Roth added that President Xi Jinping had "embarked on the most intense repression" in China since 1989 when the Tiananmen Square crackdown took place.

As part of the national security law which was introduced in Hong Kong, 53 pro-democracy activists have been arrested in raids over the last week.&nbsp;

In addition, Beijing stands accused of the persecution and forced labour of Uighurs in the western region of Xinjiang.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/twitter-removes-chinese-embassys-post-claiming-uighur-women-not-forcefully-sterilised-355755" hreflang="en">Twitter removes Chinese embassy's post claiming Uighur women not forcefully sterilised</a>

Richardson noted how Uighurs' plight remains largely ignored on the global stage, and how it was similar to what Rohingya Muslims were undergoing in Myanmar. 
 
She added how the European Union's investment pact with China remains problematic, after a year of China "publicly shredding" its commitments in terms of human rights. 
 
"Putting a dent in the Chinese government's sense of impunity for serious human rights violations is a real priority, we think, for governments and for institutions like the UN," she said, while adding that criticism against China is now growing in the international community.

China had an "appalling year" in terms of human rights in 2020, said Human Rights Watch on Wednesday. The group took into account the crackdown on free speech in Hong Kong with new security laws, the persecution of Uighur Muslims, and attempts at silencing people that were vigorously reporting on the pandemic.

China had an "appalling year" in terms of human rights in 2020, said Human Rights Watch on Wednesday. The group took into account the crackdown on free speech in Hong Kong with new security laws, the persecution of Uighur Muslims, and attempts at silencing people that were vigorously reporting on the pandemic. Just last week, a court in China sentenced a citizen-journalist to four years in jail after he reported from Wuhan, the original epicentre of the virus where it initially began. Many others who attempted to report on the pandemic have since then disappeared. "To crack down on whistleblowers and citizen-journalists at this particular moment ... helps highlight to the rest of the world what the consequences of violations inside China can be," Sophie Richardson, Human Rights Watch (HRW) for China claimed after releasing its yearly report. Also read: China denies forceful use of birth control measures on Uighur women Earlier, HRW's Executive Director Kenneth Roth had told Reuters that China is the biggest threat to human rights around the world. Roth added that President Xi Jinping had "embarked on the most intense repression" in China since 1989 when the Tiananmen Square crackdown took place. As part of the national security law which was introduced in Hong Kong, 53 pro-democracy activists have been arrested in raids over the last week. In addition, Beijing stands accused of the persecution and forced labour of Uighurs in the western region of Xinjiang. Also read: Twitter removes Chinese embassy's post claiming Uighur women not forcefully sterilised Richardson noted how Uighurs' plight remains largely ignored on the global stage, and how it was similar to what Rohingya Muslims were undergoing in Myanmar. She added how the European Union's investment pact with China remains problematic, after a year of China "publicly shredding" its commitments in terms of human rights. "Putting a dent in the Chinese government's sense of impunity for serious human rights violations is a real priority, we think, for governments and for institutions like the UN," she said, while adding that criticism against China is now growing in the international community.

For China, 2020 was an 'appalling year' of violations: Human Rights Watch

In a flat, arid expanse of China’s far west Xinjiang region, a solar technology company welcomed laborers from a rural area 650 miles away, preparing to put them to work at GCL-Poly, the world’s second-largest maker of polysilicon.

The workers, members of the region’s Uighur minority, attended a class in etiquette as they prepared for their new lives in the solar industry, which prides itself as a model of clean, responsible growth. GCL-Poly promoted the housing and training it offered its new recruits in photographs and statements to the local news media.

But researchers and human rights experts say those positive images may conceal a more troubling reality — the persecution of one of China’s most vulnerable ethnic groups. According to a report by the consultancy Horizon Advisory, Xinjiang’s rising solar energy technology sector is connected to a broad program of assigned labor in China, including methods that fit well-documented patterns of forced labor.

Major solar companies including GCL-Poly, East Hope Group, Daqo New Energy, Xinte Energy and Jinko Solar are named in the report as bearing signs of using some forced labor, according to Horizon Advisory, which specializes in Chinese-language research. Although many details remain unclear, those signs include accepting workers transferred with the help of the Chinese government from certain parts of Xinjiang, and having laborers undergo “military-style” training that may be aimed at instilling loyalty to China and the Communist Party.

The Chinese government disputes the presence of any forced labor in its supply chains, arguing that employment is voluntary. The companies named in the report either did not respond to requests for comment or denied any role in forced labor.

In a statement, a representative for the Chinese Embassy in Washington called forced labor in Xinjiang “a rumor created by a few anti-China media and organizations,” adding that all workers in Xinjiang enter into contracts in accordance with Chinese labor law. “There is no such thing as ‘forced labor,’” the representative said.

The report adds to a growing list of companies that have been accused of relying on coerced labor from Uighurs and other ethnic minorities in China, either in their own factories or those of their suppliers.

The United States and other governments have become increasingly vocal about forced labor in Xinjiang, including naming and shaming major corporations that operate in the region. The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on dozens of companies and individuals for their role in Xinjiang, including banning some exports from the region, which is also a major producer of cotton. On Dec. 2, it banned imports made with cotton produced by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a paramilitary group that U.S. officials say uses forced labor.

Congress is also considering sweeping legislation that would ban all products with materials from Xinjiang unless companies certify that the goods are made without forced labor&lt;strong&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;

John Ullyot, the spokesman for the National Security Council, said that China’s campaign of repression in Xinjiang involved “state-sponsored forced labor” and that the United States would “not be complicit in modern-day slavery.”

“The administration has taken unprecedented actions to prevent China from profiting off of its horrific human rights abuses,” he said.

Together, the solar companies named in the report supply more than a third of the world’s polysilicon, which is refined from rock and turned into the solar panels that end up on rooftops and utility energy projects, including those in the United States and Europe.

Government announcements and news reports indicate that solar companies often take in assigned workers in batches of dozens or fewer, suggesting that the transfers are a small part of their overall workforce. Still, the assertions from Horizon Advisory imply that much of the global solar supply chain may be tainted by an association with forced labor. Such charges could hurt its progressive image and risk product bans from Washington.

GCL-Poly, Daqo New Energy, Xinte Energy and East Hope Group did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Ian McCaleb, a spokesman for Jinko Solar, said the company “strongly condemns the use of forced labor and does not engage in it in its hiring practices or workplace operations.” He said that it had reviewed the claims in the Horizon report and “found that they do not demonstrate forced labor in our facilities.”

China carries out a vast program of detention and surveillance of Uighurs, Kazakhs and other minorities in Xinjiang. A million or more minorities may have been detained in indoctrination camps and other sites where they are forced to renounce religious bonds, and risk torture, assault and psychological trauma, Uighurs abroad and human rights groups say.

The Xinjiang government has promoted the labor transfer programs in parallel with the re-education camps, efforts that have ramped up drastically under the current leader, Xi Jinping. The government has uprooted many from farms to work in factories and cities, in the belief that steady, supervised work can pull minorities out of poverty and break down cultural barriers. Workers may have little choice but to obey local officials who oversee their move to distant towns and industrial zones to fulfill government-set quotas.

The growing scrutiny of the region has already prompted changes among some companies whose supply chains are entangled in these programs. Many textile and apparel companies that use cotton or yarn from Xinjiang have severed ties, including Patagonia, Marks and Spencer and H&amp;amp;M.

The solar sector could face similar pressure. The industry has deep ties to Xinjiang, which accounts for about 40% of global polysilicon production, said Jenny Chase, the head of solar analysis at BloombergNEF. Xinjiang’s polysilicon production increased rapidly over the past decade, mostly because of cheap electricity from local coal plants and other government support, Chase said.

That expansion has helped Chinese companies dominate foreign competitors, including in the United States. China produced 82% of global polysilicon in 2020, up from 26% in 2010, according to data from IHS Markit, while the U.S. share of production shrunk to 5% from 35%.

“I am concerned that forced labor may have been used in Xinjiang,” said Francine Sullivan, the vice president for business development at REC Silicon, a Norwegian polysilicon manufacturer with operations in the United States. The company shut a facility in Washington state, despite surging overall U.S. demand.

Xinjiang is known for low safety and environmental standards, Sullivan said, and forced labor “may be just part of the incentive package.”

Xiaojing Sun, a senior research analyst at Wood Mackenzie, said solar companies were starting to investigate their exposure to Xinjiang and reconfigure their supply chains to avoid the region if possible.

In a note to investors in October, analysts at Roth Capital Partners said the solar sector faced a “heightened risk of disruption” because of its ties to Xinjiang.

“Investors are getting nervous,” Sun said.

The Solar Energy Industries Association, the largest industry association in the United States, has called human rights abuses in Xinjiang “reprehensible” and strongly encouraged companies “to immediately move their supply chains out of the region.”

Since unfettered on-the-ground access to Xinjiang for foreign journalists and researchers is virtually impossible, the Horizon Advisory researchers do not provide direct testimony of forced labor. Instead, they present signs of possible coercion from Chinese-language documents and news reports, such as programs that may use high-pressure recruitment techniques, indoctrinate workers with patriotic or military education, or restrict their movement.

The report documents GCL-Poly accepting “surplus labor” from a rural region of Xinjiang last year. In 2018, according to an article on China Energy Net, a local news site, one of GCL-Poly’s subsidiaries also accepted more than 60 such workers.

A local subsidiary of Jinko Solar, Xinjiang Jinko Energy Co., received state subsidies for employing local Xinjiang labor, including at least 40 “poor workers from southern Xinjiang” in May, according to a local government announcement from July 2020 cited by Horizon Advisory.

On its public WeChat account, East Hope Group said that it had “responded to the national Western Development Call and actively participated in the development and construction of Xinjiang,” including constructing a polysilicon project in Changji prefecture in 2016, the Horizon report said.

That same year, according to a Chinese news report cited by Horizon, Xinjiang’s Yarkand County signed a “labor export cooperation framework agreement” with a subsidiary named East Hope Group Xinjiang Aluminum Co.

Another subsidiary of East Hope, Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals Co., “accepted 235 ethnic minority employees from southern Xinjiang,” who were given training to make up for “low educational qualifications, weak national language skills and insufficient job skills,” according to a report on the company’s website.

According to Horizon Advisory, several solar companies also have ties to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, which has been penalized by the Trump administration. In its 2018 financial report, Daqo New Energy said its Xinjiang facilities benefited from a lower cost of electricity because the regional grid is operated by a division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

Amy Lehr, the director of the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that work programs that draw on Xinjiang minorities and offer companies subsidies for employing them are a “red flag” for forced labor. These programs may restrict workers from quitting, traveling or participating in religious services, pay less than minimum wage, and involve harsh or unsafe work conditions, as well as the threat of detention, according to Lehr’s research.

“The concern is that there is a potential for coercion, because of the level of surveillance and fearfulness,” Lehr said. Companies that source products from the region have “no way of knowing that you’re not being connected to forced labor,” she said.

Nathan Picarsic, a founder of Horizon Advisory, said what the firm had documented was likely “just the tip of the iceberg.” If Americans are buying solar panels made with materials from these Chinese companies, he said, “I would say you are complicit in perpetuating this Chinese industrial policy that suppresses and disenfranchises human beings.”

In a flat, arid expanse of China’s far west Xinjiang region, a solar technology company welcomed laborers from a rural area 650 miles away, preparing to put them to work at GCL-Poly, the world’s second-largest maker of polysilicon.

In a flat, arid expanse of China’s far west Xinjiang region, a solar technology company welcomed laborers from a rural area 650 miles away, preparing to put them to work at GCL-Poly, the world’s second-largest maker of polysilicon. The workers, members of the region’s Uighur minority, attended a class in etiquette as they prepared for their new lives in the solar industry, which prides itself as a model of clean, responsible growth. GCL-Poly promoted the housing and training it offered its new recruits in photographs and statements to the local news media. But researchers and human rights experts say those positive images may conceal a more troubling reality — the persecution of one of China’s most vulnerable ethnic groups. According to a report by the consultancy Horizon Advisory, Xinjiang’s rising solar energy technology sector is connected to a broad program of assigned labor in China, including methods that fit well-documented patterns of forced labor. Major solar companies including GCL-Poly, East Hope Group, Daqo New Energy, Xinte Energy and Jinko Solar are named in the report as bearing signs of using some forced labor, according to Horizon Advisory, which specializes in Chinese-language research. Although many details remain unclear, those signs include accepting workers transferred with the help of the Chinese government from certain parts of Xinjiang, and having laborers undergo “military-style” training that may be aimed at instilling loyalty to China and the Communist Party. The Chinese government disputes the presence of any forced labor in its supply chains, arguing that employment is voluntary. The companies named in the report either did not respond to requests for comment or denied any role in forced labor. In a statement, a representative for the Chinese Embassy in Washington called forced labor in Xinjiang “a rumor created by a few anti-China media and organizations,” adding that all workers in Xinjiang enter into contracts in accordance with Chinese labor law. “There is no such thing as ‘forced labor,’” the representative said. The report adds to a growing list of companies that have been accused of relying on coerced labor from Uighurs and other ethnic minorities in China, either in their own factories or those of their suppliers. The United States and other governments have become increasingly vocal about forced labor in Xinjiang, including naming and shaming major corporations that operate in the region. The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on dozens of companies and individuals for their role in Xinjiang, including banning some exports from the region, which is also a major producer of cotton. On Dec. 2, it banned imports made with cotton produced by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a paramilitary group that U.S. officials say uses forced labor. Congress is also considering sweeping legislation that would ban all products with materials from Xinjiang unless companies certify that the goods are made without forced labor. John Ullyot, the spokesman for the National Security Council, said that China’s campaign of repression in Xinjiang involved “state-sponsored forced labor” and that the United States would “not be complicit in modern-day slavery.” “The administration has taken unprecedented actions to prevent China from profiting off of its horrific human rights abuses,” he said. Together, the solar companies named in the report supply more than a third of the world’s polysilicon, which is refined from rock and turned into the solar panels that end up on rooftops and utility energy projects, including those in the United States and Europe. Government announcements and news reports indicate that solar companies often take in assigned workers in batches of dozens or fewer, suggesting that the transfers are a small part of their overall workforce. Still, the assertions from Horizon Advisory imply that much of the global solar supply chain may be tainted by an association with forced labor. Such charges could hurt its progressive image and risk product bans from Washington. GCL-Poly, Daqo New Energy, Xinte Energy and East Hope Group did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Ian McCaleb, a spokesman for Jinko Solar, said the company “strongly condemns the use of forced labor and does not engage in it in its hiring practices or workplace operations.” He said that it had reviewed the claims in the Horizon report and “found that they do not demonstrate forced labor in our facilities.” China carries out a vast program of detention and surveillance of Uighurs, Kazakhs and other minorities in Xinjiang. A million or more minorities may have been detained in indoctrination camps and other sites where they are forced to renounce religious bonds, and risk torture, assault and psychological trauma, Uighurs abroad and human rights groups say. The Xinjiang government has promoted the labor transfer programs in parallel with the re-education camps, efforts that have ramped up drastically under the current leader, Xi Jinping. The government has uprooted many from farms to work in factories and cities, in the belief that steady, supervised work can pull minorities out of poverty and break down cultural barriers. Workers may have little choice but to obey local officials who oversee their move to distant towns and industrial zones to fulfill government-set quotas. The growing scrutiny of the region has already prompted changes among some companies whose supply chains are entangled in these programs. Many textile and apparel companies that use cotton or yarn from Xinjiang have severed ties, including Patagonia, Marks and Spencer and H&amp;M. The solar sector could face similar pressure. The industry has deep ties to Xinjiang, which accounts for about 40% of global polysilicon production, said Jenny Chase, the head of solar analysis at BloombergNEF. Xinjiang’s polysilicon production increased rapidly over the past decade, mostly because of cheap electricity from local coal plants and other government support, Chase said. That expansion has helped Chinese companies dominate foreign competitors, including in the United States. China produced 82% of global polysilicon in 2020, up from 26% in 2010, according to data from IHS Markit, while the U.S. share of production shrunk to 5% from 35%. “I am concerned that forced labor may have been used in Xinjiang,” said Francine Sullivan, the vice president for business development at REC Silicon, a Norwegian polysilicon manufacturer with operations in the United States. The company shut a facility in Washington state, despite surging overall U.S. demand. Xinjiang is known for low safety and environmental standards, Sullivan said, and forced labor “may be just part of the incentive package.” Xiaojing Sun, a senior research analyst at Wood Mackenzie, said solar companies were starting to investigate their exposure to Xinjiang and reconfigure their supply chains to avoid the region if possible. In a note to investors in October, analysts at Roth Capital Partners said the solar sector faced a “heightened risk of disruption” because of its ties to Xinjiang. “Investors are getting nervous,” Sun said. The Solar Energy Industries Association, the largest industry association in the United States, has called human rights abuses in Xinjiang “reprehensible” and strongly encouraged companies “to immediately move their supply chains out of the region.” Since unfettered on-the-ground access to Xinjiang for foreign journalists and researchers is virtually impossible, the Horizon Advisory researchers do not provide direct testimony of forced labor. Instead, they present signs of possible coercion from Chinese-language documents and news reports, such as programs that may use high-pressure recruitment techniques, indoctrinate workers with patriotic or military education, or restrict their movement. The report documents GCL-Poly accepting “surplus labor” from a rural region of Xinjiang last year. In 2018, according to an article on China Energy Net, a local news site, one of GCL-Poly’s subsidiaries also accepted more than 60 such workers. A local subsidiary of Jinko Solar, Xinjiang Jinko Energy Co., received state subsidies for employing local Xinjiang labor, including at least 40 “poor workers from southern Xinjiang” in May, according to a local government announcement from July 2020 cited by Horizon Advisory. On its public WeChat account, East Hope Group said that it had “responded to the national Western Development Call and actively participated in the development and construction of Xinjiang,” including constructing a polysilicon project in Changji prefecture in 2016, the Horizon report said. That same year, according to a Chinese news report cited by Horizon, Xinjiang’s Yarkand County signed a “labor export cooperation framework agreement” with a subsidiary named East Hope Group Xinjiang Aluminum Co. Another subsidiary of East Hope, Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals Co., “accepted 235 ethnic minority employees from southern Xinjiang,” who were given training to make up for “low educational qualifications, weak national language skills and insufficient job skills,” according to a report on the company’s website. According to Horizon Advisory, several solar companies also have ties to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, which has been penalized by the Trump administration. In its 2018 financial report, Daqo New Energy said its Xinjiang facilities benefited from a lower cost of electricity because the regional grid is operated by a division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Amy Lehr, the director of the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that work programs that draw on Xinjiang minorities and offer companies subsidies for employing them are a “red flag” for forced labor. These programs may restrict workers from quitting, traveling or participating in religious services, pay less than minimum wage, and involve harsh or unsafe work conditions, as well as the threat of detention, according to Lehr’s research. “The concern is that there is a potential for coercion, because of the level of surveillance and fearfulness,” Lehr said. Companies that source products from the region have “no way of knowing that you’re not being connected to forced labor,” she said. Nathan Picarsic, a founder of Horizon Advisory, said what the firm had documented was likely “just the tip of the iceberg.” If Americans are buying solar panels made with materials from these Chinese companies, he said, “I would say you are complicit in perpetuating this Chinese industrial policy that suppresses and disenfranchises human beings.”

Chinese solar companies tied to use of forced labor

China on Thursday urged US politicians to stop using issues in its Xinjiang region to interfere in its affairs &nbsp;-- in the aftermath of the United States demanding the release of a Uighur doctor.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin made the comments at a regular news conference in Beijing.

The doctor's family said she was sentenced to 20 years of jail in China because of her family members' human rights activism in the United States.

The daughter of Gulshan Abbas told a briefing organised with the bipartisan US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) that the family had recently learned her mother received the sentence in March last year on terrorism-related charges after disappearing in September 2018.

The daughter, Ziba Murat, called the charges “preposterous.” Gulshan’s sister, Rushan Abbas, said they stemmed from activism by her and her brother Rishat Abbas, both of whom are based in the United States.

In a tweet, the US assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, Robert Destro, said Gulshan Abbas must be released.

Ziba Murat said she could not reveal the source of the information on the sentencing to protect their identity.

UN experts and advocates say at least a million ethnic Uighurs have been detained at some point in camps in China's Xinjiang region.

China calls the heavily guarded centers educational and vocational institutes, and says all those who attended have “graduated” and gone home. Access to the camps is restricted and it is not possible to independently verify whether all have closed.

China on Thursday urged US politicians to stop using issues in its Xinjiang region to interfere in its affairs -- in the aftermath of the United States demanding the release of a Uighur doctor.

China on Thursday urged US politicians to stop using issues in its Xinjiang region to interfere in its affairs -- in the aftermath of the United States demanding the release of a Uighur doctor. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin made the comments at a regular news conference in Beijing. The doctor's family said she was sentenced to 20 years of jail in China because of her family members' human rights activism in the United States. The daughter of Gulshan Abbas told a briefing organised with the bipartisan US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) that the family had recently learned her mother received the sentence in March last year on terrorism-related charges after disappearing in September 2018. The daughter, Ziba Murat, called the charges “preposterous.” Gulshan’s sister, Rushan Abbas, said they stemmed from activism by her and her brother Rishat Abbas, both of whom are based in the United States. In a tweet, the US assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, Robert Destro, said Gulshan Abbas must be released. Ziba Murat said she could not reveal the source of the information on the sentencing to protect their identity. UN experts and advocates say at least a million ethnic Uighurs have been detained at some point in camps in China's Xinjiang region. China calls the heavily guarded centers educational and vocational institutes, and says all those who attended have “graduated” and gone home. Access to the camps is restricted and it is not possible to independently verify whether all have closed.

China tells US politicians to stop using Xinjiang to interfere in its affairs

Turkey on Wednesday brushed aside fears that a new extradition treaty with China would result in Ankara deporting Muslim Uighurs en masse.

Earlier, China&nbsp;announced the ratification of an extradition treaty with Turkey&nbsp;that human rights groups warn could endanger Uighur families and activists fleeing persecution by Chinese authorities if it is adopted by Ankara.

The treaty, first signed in 2017, was formalised on the weekend at the national people’s congress, with state media saying it would be utilised for counter-psychological warfare purposes.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-ratifies-extradition-treaty-pressure-on-turkey-to-protect-uighurs-353170" hreflang="en">China ratifies extradition treaty; pressure on Turkey to protect Uighurs</a>

Confronting solid resistance inside its parliament, Turkey's administration has not yet confirmed the arrangement, and critics have asked the public authority to desert it and keep the settlement from "turning into an instrument of oppression".&nbsp;

Turkey has linguistic and cultural ties with the Uighurs and Ankara has for quite some time been one of the primary safeguards of their motivation on the worldwide stage, however lately Turkey's public demonstration of help has faded.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-china-and-the-european-union-poised-to-sign-major-investment-deal-353241/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

About 20 Uighurs with Turkish citizenship picketed China's consulate in Istanbul after the Chinese parliament ratified the 2017 treaty on Saturday.

Ankara has not yet ratified the agreement, but its approval in Beijing has put Turkey's estimated 50,000-strong Uighur community on edge.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu did not say when Turkey's parliament might debate the agreement. However,&nbsp;its approval would not mean "Turkey will release Uighurs to China".

"Until now, there have been requests for returns from China related to Uighurs in Turkey. And you know Turkey hasn't taken steps like this," Cavusoglu told reporters in Ankara.

It would be "wrong and unfair to say it's a deal for the extradition of Uighurs. We are more sensitive to such issues than others," he said.

Uighurs speak a Turkic language and have cultural ties with Turkey that make it a favoured destination for avoiding persecution in China's northwestern region of Xinjiang. But news reports have accused Turkey of covertly returning Uighurs to China via third countries.

Rights activists say Xinjiang is home to a vast network of extrajudicial internment camps that have imprisoned at least one million people.

China says these are vocational training centres to counter extremism.

Ethnic Uighurs rallied for the ninth day running Wednesday to express their fears about the extradition treaty.

"God willing, we hope our state will not approve such a thing," said Omer Farah, a Uighur with Turkish citizenship who said his children are detained in China.

"But if it does, we are really worried. Because for China, all 50,000 Uighurs who live here are criminals."

Turkey on Wednesday brushed aside fears that a new extradition treaty with China would result in Ankara deporting Muslim Uighurs en masse. Earlier, China announced the ratification of an extradition treaty with Turkey that human rights groups warn could endanger Uighur families and activists fleeing persecution by Chinese authorities if it is adopted by Ankara.

Turkey on Wednesday brushed aside fears that a new extradition treaty with China would result in Ankara deporting Muslim Uighurs en masse. Earlier, China announced the ratification of an extradition treaty with Turkey that human rights groups warn could endanger Uighur families and activists fleeing persecution by Chinese authorities if it is adopted by Ankara. The treaty, first signed in 2017, was formalised on the weekend at the national people’s congress, with state media saying it would be utilised for counter-psychological warfare purposes. Also read: China ratifies extradition treaty; pressure on Turkey to protect Uighurs Confronting solid resistance inside its parliament, Turkey's administration has not yet confirmed the arrangement, and critics have asked the public authority to desert it and keep the settlement from "turning into an instrument of oppression". Turkey has linguistic and cultural ties with the Uighurs and Ankara has for quite some time been one of the primary safeguards of their motivation on the worldwide stage, however lately Turkey's public demonstration of help has faded. About 20 Uighurs with Turkish citizenship picketed China's consulate in Istanbul after the Chinese parliament ratified the 2017 treaty on Saturday. Ankara has not yet ratified the agreement, but its approval in Beijing has put Turkey's estimated 50,000-strong Uighur community on edge. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu did not say when Turkey's parliament might debate the agreement. However, its approval would not mean "Turkey will release Uighurs to China". "Until now, there have been requests for returns from China related to Uighurs in Turkey. And you know Turkey hasn't taken steps like this," Cavusoglu told reporters in Ankara. It would be "wrong and unfair to say it's a deal for the extradition of Uighurs. We are more sensitive to such issues than others," he said. Uighurs speak a Turkic language and have cultural ties with Turkey that make it a favoured destination for avoiding persecution in China's northwestern region of Xinjiang. But news reports have accused Turkey of covertly returning Uighurs to China via third countries. Rights activists say Xinjiang is home to a vast network of extrajudicial internment camps that have imprisoned at least one million people. China says these are vocational training centres to counter extremism. Ethnic Uighurs rallied for the ninth day running Wednesday to express their fears about the extradition treaty. "God willing, we hope our state will not approve such a thing," said Omer Farah, a Uighur with Turkish citizenship who said his children are detained in China. "But if it does, we are really worried. Because for China, all 50,000 Uighurs who live here are criminals."

Turkey brushes aside fears of Uighur deportations to China

Alibaba Group has said it would not allow its technology to be used for targetting and identifying specific ethnic groups, following a report that its facial recognition technology can pick out Uighur minorities.

Alibaba, in a statement Thursday, said it was "dismayed" that Alibaba Cloud developed facial recognition technology that includes ethnicity as an attribute for tagging video imagery and that the firm never intended the technology to be used in this manner.

"We have eliminated any ethnic tag in our product offering," Alibaba said.

US-based IPVM in a report published on Wednesday said software capable of identifying Uighurs appears in Alibaba's Cloud Shield content moderation service for websites.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alibaba-facial-recognition-tech-can-specifically-pick-out-uighur-minority-new-report-says-350398">Also read |&nbsp;Alibaba facial recognition tech can specifically pick out Uighur minority, new report says</a>

Surveillance industry researcher IPVM's report came as human rights groups accuse China of forcing over 1 million Muslim Uighurs into labour camps, and call out firms suspected of complicity.

IPVM said mention of Uighurs in the software disappeared near the time it published its report, and that Alibaba told it the feature has only been used "in a testing environment".

Alibaba described Cloud Shield as a system that "detects and recognises text, pictures, videos, and voices containing pornography, politics, violent terrorism, advertisements, and spam, and provides verification, marking, custom configuration and other capabilities."

An archived record of the technology shows it can perform such tasks as "glasses inspection", "smile detection", whether the subject is "ethnic" and, specifically, "Is it Uighur".

Consequently, if a Uighur livestreams a video on a website signed up to Cloud Shield, the software can detect that the user is Uighur and flag the video for review or removal, IPVM researcher Charles Rollet told Reuters.

Contrary to these findings, China has repeatedly denied forcing anyone into what it has called vocational training centres, and has also said the region of Xinjiang is under threat from Islamist militants.

(with inputs)

Alibaba Group has said it would not allow its technology to be used for targetting and identifying specific ethnic groups, following a report that its facial recognition technology can pick out Uighur minorities.

Alibaba Group has said it would not allow its technology to be used for targetting and identifying specific ethnic groups, following a report that its facial recognition technology can pick out Uighur minorities. Alibaba, in a statement Thursday, said it was "dismayed" that Alibaba Cloud developed facial recognition technology that includes ethnicity as an attribute for tagging video imagery and that the firm never intended the technology to be used in this manner. "We have eliminated any ethnic tag in our product offering," Alibaba said. US-based IPVM in a report published on Wednesday said software capable of identifying Uighurs appears in Alibaba's Cloud Shield content moderation service for websites. Also read | Alibaba facial recognition tech can specifically pick out Uighur minority, new report says Surveillance industry researcher IPVM's report came as human rights groups accuse China of forcing over 1 million Muslim Uighurs into labour camps, and call out firms suspected of complicity. IPVM said mention of Uighurs in the software disappeared near the time it published its report, and that Alibaba told it the feature has only been used "in a testing environment". Alibaba described Cloud Shield as a system that "detects and recognises text, pictures, videos, and voices containing pornography, politics, violent terrorism, advertisements, and spam, and provides verification, marking, custom configuration and other capabilities." An archived record of the technology shows it can perform such tasks as "glasses inspection", "smile detection", whether the subject is "ethnic" and, specifically, "Is it Uighur". Consequently, if a Uighur livestreams a video on a website signed up to Cloud Shield, the software can detect that the user is Uighur and flag the video for review or removal, IPVM researcher Charles Rollet told Reuters. Contrary to these findings, China has repeatedly denied forcing anyone into what it has called vocational training centres, and has also said the region of Xinjiang is under threat from Islamist militants. (with inputs)

Alibaba clarifies won't allow its tech to target, identify ethnic groups

The international criminal court (ICC) has asked for more evidence in order to open an investigation into claims of genocide against Uighur Muslims by China

China notably is not a signatory to the ICC.

People who have been bringing to the ICC the claim of genocide have pointed to the alleged forcing of Uighur people from Tajikistan and Cambodia into China as evidence.&nbsp;

But the ICC has said there is still insufficient evidence to warrant opening a full-scale investigation. Both countries are signatories to the Rome statute setting up the ICC.

The complaint was submitted in July on behalf of the East Turkistan Government in Exile and the East Turkistan National Awakening Movement.

The decisions of ICC pre-trial chambers in two previous cases in 2018 and 2019 concerning crimes against Rohingya people in Bangladesh and Myanmar decided that the court may exercise jurisdiction over international crimes when part of the criminal conduct takes place on the territory of a state that is a signatory to the ICC.

The latest complaint states that the alleged crimes committed against the Uighur Muslims in north-west China have been widespread and systematic. The crimes include people being subjected to imprisonment and torture as well as forced birth control, sterilisations and marriages.

The ICC is expected to make its ruling known in the next few days ahead of the assembly of state parties taking place in The Hague from December 14-16.&nbsp;

The international criminal court (ICC) has asked for more evidence in order to open an investigation into claims of genocide against Uighur Muslims by China China notably is not a signatory to the ICC.

The international criminal court (ICC) has asked for more evidence in order to open an investigation into claims of genocide against Uighur Muslims by China China notably is not a signatory to the ICC. People who have been bringing to the ICC the claim of genocide have pointed to the alleged forcing of Uighur people from Tajikistan and Cambodia into China as evidence. But the ICC has said there is still insufficient evidence to warrant opening a full-scale investigation. Both countries are signatories to the Rome statute setting up the ICC. The complaint was submitted in July on behalf of the East Turkistan Government in Exile and the East Turkistan National Awakening Movement. The decisions of ICC pre-trial chambers in two previous cases in 2018 and 2019 concerning crimes against Rohingya people in Bangladesh and Myanmar decided that the court may exercise jurisdiction over international crimes when part of the criminal conduct takes place on the territory of a state that is a signatory to the ICC. The latest complaint states that the alleged crimes committed against the Uighur Muslims in north-west China have been widespread and systematic. The crimes include people being subjected to imprisonment and torture as well as forced birth control, sterilisations and marriages. The ICC is expected to make its ruling known in the next few days ahead of the assembly of state parties taking place in The Hague from December 14-16.

ICC asks for more evidence on claims of Uighur genocide

According to reports, Chinese telecom giant Huawei tested Artificial Intelligence software that could identify Uighur minorities to alert government authorities.

Huawei tested AI software to identify Uighur Muslims

For the first time, Pope Francis has referred to Muslim Uighurs in China as a “persecuted” community.

In a new book titled “Let Us Dream: The Path to A Better Future”, Francis also urged world governments to set up a universal minimum wage, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19. The book includes a 150-page collaboration with Austen Ivereigh, Pope’s English language biographer.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/global-outcry-over-chinas-unhrc-candidacy-row-over-mistreatment-of-uighurs-334574/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"I think often of persecuted peoples: the Rohingya, the poor Uighurs, the Yazidi," he said in a section. He also addressed the persecution of Christians in Islamic countries. This marked the first time that the Pope mentioned Uighurs. He has spoked about Myanmar’s Rohingya and Iraq’s Yazidi on earlier occasions.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/pompeo-says-china-treatment-of-uighurs-gravest-threat-to-religious-freedom-338812" hreflang="en">Pompeo says China treatment of Uighurs 'gravest threat' to religious freedom</a>

The Pope spoke about economic, social, and political changes which he says are required to address inequalities after the end of this pandemic. The book is set to go on sale on December 1. He also out at anti-maskers, and claimed that those who perceived masks as an imposition from the state are “victims only in their imagination”.

Pope Francis also praised those who protested against the death of George Floyd, who was killed by White police officers in the United States.&nbsp; According to activist groups and governments, China is holding 1 million Uighur Muslims in camps in Xinjiang, where crimes against humanity and genocide is taking place.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/apple-rallying-against-bill-to-stop-forced-uighur-labour-344963" hreflang="en">Apple rallying against bill to stop forced Uighur labour</a>

China claims that the camps are education centres and are part of the country’s deradicalisation efforts.

Pope Francis also criticised trickle-down economics, whereby the basic belief is that tax breaks and incentives for wealthy businesses will eventually benefit society and create jobs.

He referred to it as “the false assumption of the infamous trickle-down theory that a growing economy will make us all richer”.

For the first time, Pope Francis has referred to Muslim Uighurs in China as a “persecuted” community. In a new book titled “Let Us Dream: The Path to A Better Future”, Francis also urged world governments to set up a universal minimum wage, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19.

For the first time, Pope Francis has referred to Muslim Uighurs in China as a “persecuted” community. In a new book titled “Let Us Dream: The Path to A Better Future”, Francis also urged world governments to set up a universal minimum wage, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19. The book includes a 150-page collaboration with Austen Ivereigh, Pope’s English language biographer. "I think often of persecuted peoples: the Rohingya, the poor Uighurs, the Yazidi," he said in a section. He also addressed the persecution of Christians in Islamic countries. This marked the first time that the Pope mentioned Uighurs. He has spoked about Myanmar’s Rohingya and Iraq’s Yazidi on earlier occasions. Also read: Pompeo says China treatment of Uighurs 'gravest threat' to religious freedom The Pope spoke about economic, social, and political changes which he says are required to address inequalities after the end of this pandemic. The book is set to go on sale on December 1. He also out at anti-maskers, and claimed that those who perceived masks as an imposition from the state are “victims only in their imagination”. Pope Francis also praised those who protested against the death of George Floyd, who was killed by White police officers in the United States. According to activist groups and governments, China is holding 1 million Uighur Muslims in camps in Xinjiang, where crimes against humanity and genocide is taking place. Also read: Apple rallying against bill to stop forced Uighur labour China claims that the camps are education centres and are part of the country’s deradicalisation efforts. Pope Francis also criticised trickle-down economics, whereby the basic belief is that tax breaks and incentives for wealthy businesses will eventually benefit society and create jobs. He referred to it as “the false assumption of the infamous trickle-down theory that a growing economy will make us all richer”.

Pope Francis refers to Uighur Muslims as a 'persecuted' group for the first time

A report by the US Labor Department has called China a hotspot for forced labour. A study found that 83 top brands have benefitted from China's forced labour program. WION's Palki Sharma tells you how Chinese authorities pushed Uighur Muslims into forced labour.

China: The world capital for forced labour | Gravitas

The US House of Representatives voted Wednesday to force companies to disclose products that come from China's&nbsp;Xinjiang&nbsp;region, in a new bid to stop what lawmakers say is widespread forced labor in the restive area.

The bill follows a broader act approved a week earlier that aims to ban imports from&nbsp;Xinjiang, contending that abuses of the Uighur people are so widespread that all goods from the region should be considered made with slave labor.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-us-china-relationship-took-a-turn-for-the-worse-314882">How US-China relationship took a turn for the worse</a>

"The exploitation and enslavement of the Uighurs must stop. Americans don't want to purchase goods made with slave labor," said Representative Jennifer Wexton, a Democrat who led the latest effort.

The legislation would require all publicly traded companies to report to the Securities and Exchange Commission whether they are involved in&nbsp;Xinjiang, a major source of the global textile industry's yarn.

Unlike the broader act, which passed almost unanimously, the Uighur Forced Labor Disclosure Act drew opposition from most Republicans but passed 253-163 in the Democratic-led House.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-imposes-sanctions-on-chinese-officials-over-abuse-of-muslim-minorities-in-xinjiang-312101">US imposes sanctions on Chinese officials over 'abuse' of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang</a>

Its prospects are uncertain as it needs to clear the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans and consumed by discussions on a Supreme Court nomination and Covid-19 relief a month before elections.

Republicans raised objections after concerns voiced by the US Chamber of Commerce, which said that the regulations imposed an impossible burden on legitimate companies.

The business lobby drew a parallel with previous efforts to label minerals from conflict-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, saying that companies had no reliable way to certify if products are free from abuses.

Representative Patrick McHenry, a Republican, accused bill sponsor Wexton of wanting to appear tough on China and said a better approach was to impose sanctions on officials, as President Donald Trump's administration has done.

"The bill before us is nothing more than a press release for an election," he said.

Wexton, whose district in northern Virginia has a large Uighur American community, scoffed at the suggestion and said Republicans were ignoring abuses and "perhaps even genocide" in&nbsp;Xinjiang.

"Republicans talk a good game but only if it doesn't create any kind of burden on US corporations or their profit margins," she said.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute in a recent report said it had identified more than 380 suspected detention facilities where China is believed to have held more than one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim Turkic-speaking people.

The US House of Representatives voted Wednesday to force companies to disclose products that come from China's Xinjiang region, in a new bid to stop what lawmakers say is widespread forced labor in the restive area.

The US House of Representatives voted Wednesday to force companies to disclose products that come from China's Xinjiang region, in a new bid to stop what lawmakers say is widespread forced labor in the restive area. The bill follows a broader act approved a week earlier that aims to ban imports from Xinjiang, contending that abuses of the Uighur people are so widespread that all goods from the region should be considered made with slave labor. Also see: How US-China relationship took a turn for the worse "The exploitation and enslavement of the Uighurs must stop. Americans don't want to purchase goods made with slave labor," said Representative Jennifer Wexton, a Democrat who led the latest effort. The legislation would require all publicly traded companies to report to the Securities and Exchange Commission whether they are involved in Xinjiang, a major source of the global textile industry's yarn. Unlike the broader act, which passed almost unanimously, the Uighur Forced Labor Disclosure Act drew opposition from most Republicans but passed 253-163 in the Democratic-led House. Also read: US imposes sanctions on Chinese officials over 'abuse' of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang Its prospects are uncertain as it needs to clear the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans and consumed by discussions on a Supreme Court nomination and Covid-19 relief a month before elections. Republicans raised objections after concerns voiced by the US Chamber of Commerce, which said that the regulations imposed an impossible burden on legitimate companies. The business lobby drew a parallel with previous efforts to label minerals from conflict-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, saying that companies had no reliable way to certify if products are free from abuses. Representative Patrick McHenry, a Republican, accused bill sponsor Wexton of wanting to appear tough on China and said a better approach was to impose sanctions on officials, as President Donald Trump's administration has done. "The bill before us is nothing more than a press release for an election," he said. Wexton, whose district in northern Virginia has a large Uighur American community, scoffed at the suggestion and said Republicans were ignoring abuses and "perhaps even genocide" in Xinjiang. "Republicans talk a good game but only if it doesn't create any kind of burden on US corporations or their profit margins," she said. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute in a recent report said it had identified more than 380 suspected detention facilities where China is believed to have held more than one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim Turkic-speaking people.

US passes bill requiring firms to disclose Xinjiang products

After calling China 'peace-loving', Xi Jinping has now said that 'happiness is on the rise' in Xinjiang. WION's Palki Sharma tells you how this may just the most outrageous justification for state-sponsored persecution of the Uighurs.

Gravitas: Xi Jinping justifies crimes against Uighurs

An Australian institute has claimed China has constructed about 400 internment camps in Xinjiang region, with dozens of such facilities continuing for the last two years.&nbsp;

The latest satellite images procured the Australian Strategic Policy Institute revealed 380 detention centres set up across the region since 2017, as reported by The Guardian.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-unga-jinping-claimed-china-is-not-expansionist-these-facts-tell-otherwise-329724">At UNGA, Jinping claimed China is not 'expansionist'. These facts tell otherwise!</a>

It identified 14 such prisons which China describes as "re-education", which are still under construction.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-chinas-four-pronged-approach-to-restructure-tibet-through-repression-329738">Explained: China's four-pronged approach to restructure Tibet through repression</a>

The institute said these camps range from lowest security re-education camps to fortified prisons.

"The evidence in this database shows that despite Chinese officials’ claims about detainees graduating from the camps, significant investment in the construction of new detention facilities has continued throughout 2019 and 2020," said Nathan Ruser, a researcher from ASPI.&nbsp;

If the findings are true, these camps are 100 more than what was revealed by previous investigations and now researchers believe most of these detention centres have been identified now.

In a Xinjiang Data Project, a database that can be accessed publicly, all the information about these camps, including their coordinates have been shared.&nbsp;

The camps were identified through details shared by survivors, satellite images and other projects tracking these centres. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

An Australian institute has claimed China has constructed about 400 internment camps in Xinjiang region, with dozens of such facilities continuing for the last two years.

An Australian institute has claimed China has constructed about 400 internment camps in Xinjiang region, with dozens of such facilities continuing for the last two years. The latest satellite images procured the Australian Strategic Policy Institute revealed 380 detention centres set up across the region since 2017, as reported by The Guardian. Also read | At UNGA, Jinping claimed China is not 'expansionist'. These facts tell otherwise! It identified 14 such prisons which China describes as "re-education", which are still under construction. Also read | Explained: China's four-pronged approach to restructure Tibet through repression The institute said these camps range from lowest security re-education camps to fortified prisons. "The evidence in this database shows that despite Chinese officials’ claims about detainees graduating from the camps, significant investment in the construction of new detention facilities has continued throughout 2019 and 2020," said Nathan Ruser, a researcher from ASPI. If the findings are true, these camps are 100 more than what was revealed by previous investigations and now researchers believe most of these detention centres have been identified now. In a Xinjiang Data Project, a database that can be accessed publicly, all the information about these camps, including their coordinates have been shared. The camps were identified through details shared by survivors, satellite images and other projects tracking these centres.

China constructed 400 internment camps in Xinjiang: Study

China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that&nbsp;US&nbsp;import&nbsp;bans&nbsp;on some products from&nbsp;China's&nbsp;Xinjiang&nbsp;region were sabotaging global&nbsp;supply&nbsp;chains.

Earlier, the Trump administration on Monday&nbsp;blocked US&nbsp;imports&nbsp;of cotton, apparel and other products from five entities in western&nbsp;China's&nbsp;Xinjiang&nbsp;region.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-puts-block-on-chinese-products-from-uighur-forced-labour-327588">US puts block on Chinese products from Uighur ‘forced labour’</a>

"The Chinese government is engaged in systematic abuses against the Uighur people" and other minorities, said Mark Morgan, acting commissioner of the Customs and Border Protection agency.

The actions announced consisted of "withhold release orders" or WROs, which empower the CBP to seize products from the blacklisted companies and organizations.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/un-concerned-about-religious-repression-of-uighurs-in-china-327618/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The US government is increasingly using such orders to pressure Beijing over its detention of more than one million members of the mostly Muslim Uighur minority in Xinjiang for ostensible reeducation.

Calling attention to abuses

In July, the customs agency placed WRO blocks on hair products, used for wigs and extensions, from several companies operating in Xinjiang, and in August did the same for garments made and sold by the Hero Vast Group.

"The Chinese government needs to close its concentration camps," said Cuccinelli.

The move came as rights groups and members of US Congress press the administration of President Donald Trump to take more resolute action over alleged Chinese repression of Muslims in the country's vast west.

In July the US Treasury imposed sanctions on a major paramilitary group, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, accusing it of abuses against Uighurs and other mostly Muslim groups.

China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that US import bans on some products from China's Xinjiang region were sabotaging global supply chains. Earlier, the Trump administration on Monday blocked US imports of cotton, apparel and other products from five entities in western China's Xinjiang region.

China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that US import bans on some products from China's Xinjiang region were sabotaging global supply chains. Earlier, the Trump administration on Monday blocked US imports of cotton, apparel and other products from five entities in western China's Xinjiang region. Also read: US puts block on Chinese products from Uighur ‘forced labour’ "The Chinese government is engaged in systematic abuses against the Uighur people" and other minorities, said Mark Morgan, acting commissioner of the Customs and Border Protection agency. The actions announced consisted of "withhold release orders" or WROs, which empower the CBP to seize products from the blacklisted companies and organizations. The US government is increasingly using such orders to pressure Beijing over its detention of more than one million members of the mostly Muslim Uighur minority in Xinjiang for ostensible reeducation. Calling attention to abuses In July, the customs agency placed WRO blocks on hair products, used for wigs and extensions, from several companies operating in Xinjiang, and in August did the same for garments made and sold by the Hero Vast Group. "The Chinese government needs to close its concentration camps," said Cuccinelli. The move came as rights groups and members of US Congress press the administration of President Donald Trump to take more resolute action over alleged Chinese repression of Muslims in the country's vast west. In July the US Treasury imposed sanctions on a major paramilitary group, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, accusing it of abuses against Uighurs and other mostly Muslim groups.

US bans on Xinjiang imports to sabotage global supply chains, says China

Pakistan's&nbsp;army is running two&nbsp;indoctrination camps built along&nbsp;the lines of Uighurs re-education camps of China for Baloch fighters in a bid to control the situation in its restive southwestern province of Balochistan. Pakistan's biggest province is dealing with its local insurgency over Islamabad's strong hand as locals say the resources are being drained the region.

What WION has learned is that the layout of the camps closely aligns with those run by Chinese authorities in its westernmost province of Xinjiang. The main objective of these clandestine camps is psychological, social and cultural conditioning of Baloch fighters and forcefully instil 'values' in them by "transforming them into law-abiding" citizens, a document seen by WION on the camps stated.

Related story:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-dismisses-european-rights-concerns-about-xinjiang-camps-324231" hreflang="en">China dismisses European rights concerns about Xinjiang camps</a>

The document lists Pakistani studies, religious- patriotism and jihad as the key subjects at the camps and focus is to remove any remnants of Balochi nationalism. The camps run by Pakistani army extensively use mullahs or religious preachers especially those affiliated to Jamaat e Islami. Guests speakers are also invited to conduct guest lectures which include politicians like Mubeen Khan Khilji and Nawabzada Gohram Bugti and Jamaat e Islami's Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi.

Xinjiang has been in the news as Chinese authorities try to rein in the largely Muslim local population in a forceful manner via government-backed camps.

The idea of such indoctrination camps was suggested by Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa former director-general of the media wing of the Pakistani army. He was in the eye of the storm recently as his name cropped up in shady financial dealings.

Related story:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/chinese-authorities-demolish-mosque-in-xinjiang-build-public-toilet-321313" hreflang="en">Chinese authorities demolish mosque in Xinjiang, build public toilet</a>

He is currently the Special Assistant to Pakistani PM Imran Khan on Information and Broadcasting and also the Chairman of China Pakistan Economic Corridor or CPEC.&nbsp;General Bajwa has close ties with the Chinese communist party for multiple reasons, one being CPEC.

The duration of camp education is around three&nbsp;months. The first batch was from December 17, 2018 to March 9, 2019 and consisted of 50 fighters, out of which five were regional commanders and 45-foot soldiers. The 2nd batch from April 29 to July 27, 2019 had 128 fighters. The age group of most of the fighters are between 18 to 40 with most from Dera Bugti, followed by Sibi and Kohlu districts.

Currently, the camps are being run by Major Gen Irfan Ahmad Malik of GOC 41 Division. He succeeded Major Gen Abid Latif Khan on October 19, 2019.

Pakistan's army is running two indoctrination camps built along the lines of Uighurs re-education camps of China for Baloch fighters in a bid to control the situation in its restive southwestern province of Balochistan.

Pakistan's army is running two indoctrination camps built along the lines of Uighurs re-education camps of China for Baloch fighters in a bid to control the situation in its restive southwestern province of Balochistan. Pakistan's biggest province is dealing with its local insurgency over Islamabad's strong hand as locals say the resources are being drained the region. What WION has learned is that the layout of the camps closely aligns with those run by Chinese authorities in its westernmost province of Xinjiang. The main objective of these clandestine camps is psychological, social and cultural conditioning of Baloch fighters and forcefully instil 'values' in them by "transforming them into law-abiding" citizens, a document seen by WION on the camps stated. Related story: China dismisses European rights concerns about Xinjiang camps The document lists Pakistani studies, religious- patriotism and jihad as the key subjects at the camps and focus is to remove any remnants of Balochi nationalism. The camps run by Pakistani army extensively use mullahs or religious preachers especially those affiliated to Jamaat e Islami. Guests speakers are also invited to conduct guest lectures which include politicians like Mubeen Khan Khilji and Nawabzada Gohram Bugti and Jamaat e Islami's Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi. Xinjiang has been in the news as Chinese authorities try to rein in the largely Muslim local population in a forceful manner via government-backed camps. The idea of such indoctrination camps was suggested by Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa former director-general of the media wing of the Pakistani army. He was in the eye of the storm recently as his name cropped up in shady financial dealings. Related story: Chinese authorities demolish mosque in Xinjiang, build public toilet He is currently the Special Assistant to Pakistani PM Imran Khan on Information and Broadcasting and also the Chairman of China Pakistan Economic Corridor or CPEC. General Bajwa has close ties with the Chinese communist party for multiple reasons, one being CPEC. The duration of camp education is around three months. The first batch was from December 17, 2018 to March 9, 2019 and consisted of 50 fighters, out of which five were regional commanders and 45-foot soldiers. The 2nd batch from April 29 to July 27, 2019 had 128 fighters. The age group of most of the fighters are between 18 to 40 with most from Dera Bugti, followed by Sibi and Kohlu districts. Currently, the camps are being run by Major Gen Irfan Ahmad Malik of GOC 41 Division. He succeeded Major Gen Abid Latif Khan on October 19, 2019.

Taking a leaf out of China's book, Pak army develops Xinjiang style indoctrination camps in Balochistan

A genocide of Uighur Muslims is underway in Xinjiang, but the Islamic world has chosen China's money over China's Muslims. The principle of 'Muslim brotherhood' is being used based on economic interests. On Gravitas Plus, Palki Sharma Upadhyay challenges top 5 Islamic leaders to break their silence.

Gravitas Plus: Uighur genocide: Speak up, Islamic world

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi has justified the Uighur camps in Xinjiang probes. Wang Yi also justified the abuse of Uighur muslims on his first European tour.

China denies ill-treatment of Uighur, FM rebuffs human rights concerns

China's crackdown on Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang is one of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Slowly but steadily, the global community is waking up against it.

Video: Protests in Dhaka against Uighur camps

3 countries pulled up China during an UNSC briefing on counter-terrorism. Beijing was warned against using terrorism as a pretext to jail Uighurs in Xinjiang. Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you what happened.

Gravitas: UNSC slams China on Xinjiang

President of the World Uyghur Congress Dolkun Isa tells Palki Sharma Upadhyay that Xi Jinping is likely to repeat a Tiananmen Square if the world does not stop him. Here is an exclusive conversation.

Gravitas: Exclusive: President of Uighur Congress on WION

A Uighur woman got separated from her family. WION spoke to her son Ferkat Jawdat, who is a Uighur activist. Watch this video to know more.

Uighur woman separated from family by China, Son appeals for release

A group of Indian-Americans from in and around the national capital held a protest here against China's aggression towards India and the human rights violations of Uyghur minority groups in the country's restive Muslim-majority Xinjiang region.

Maintaining social distancing and wearing masks, the peaceful protestors on Sunday gathered at the historic national mall facing the US Capitol and displayed anti-China posters, banners and raised slogans against the Communist Party of China (CPC) and its leaders.

"This summer while the world was fighting coronavirus, China was trying to encroach upon other's land. It's not only in Ladakh in India but also against its other neighbours as well. It's time that the world unites against this Chinese aggression," said Adapa Prasad from Overseas Friends of BJP USA.

Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a bitter standoff in several areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May 5. The situation deteriorated after the June 15 Galwan Valley clashes in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed and an unconfirmed number of Chinese soldiers died.

"China's Communist party has infringed on the religious rights of the Uyghur community and violated human rights of people of Hong Kong,"&nbsp;Puneet Ahluwalia, who is an Indian-American Republican and founder of the Proud American Political Action Committee, said.

Ahluwalia, who is exploring to run for the post of Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, said US President Donald Trump's hard measures against China was in the right direction.

"China has to play international rules," he said.

"We have seen what they have done in Africa. We have seen that they are doing in Iran...Most importantly, they recently backstabbed India,? Ahluwalia said, alleging that China is spying on Americans through various social media applications and by stealing data and information.

Sunil Singh, an eminent Indian-American from the Greater Washington DC area, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for banning Chinese applications in India.

Noting that people of India have stopped buying China made goods, he said there was also a need for the Americans to make a similar move.

This was the second major anti-China protest by Indian-Americans here in Washington DC.

A group of Indian-Americans from in and around the national capital held a protest here against China's aggression towards India and the human rights violations of Uyghur minority groups in the country's restive Muslim-majority Xinjiang region.

A group of Indian-Americans from in and around the national capital held a protest here against China's aggression towards India and the human rights violations of Uyghur minority groups in the country's restive Muslim-majority Xinjiang region. Maintaining social distancing and wearing masks, the peaceful protestors on Sunday gathered at the historic national mall facing the US Capitol and displayed anti-China posters, banners and raised slogans against the Communist Party of China (CPC) and its leaders. "This summer while the world was fighting coronavirus, China was trying to encroach upon other's land. It's not only in Ladakh in India but also against its other neighbours as well. It's time that the world unites against this Chinese aggression," said Adapa Prasad from Overseas Friends of BJP USA. Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a bitter standoff in several areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May 5. The situation deteriorated after the June 15 Galwan Valley clashes in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed and an unconfirmed number of Chinese soldiers died. "China's Communist party has infringed on the religious rights of the Uyghur community and violated human rights of people of Hong Kong," Puneet Ahluwalia, who is an Indian-American Republican and founder of the Proud American Political Action Committee, said. Ahluwalia, who is exploring to run for the post of Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, said US President Donald Trump's hard measures against China was in the right direction. "China has to play international rules," he said. "We have seen what they have done in Africa. We have seen that they are doing in Iran...Most importantly, they recently backstabbed India,? Ahluwalia said, alleging that China is spying on Americans through various social media applications and by stealing data and information. Sunil Singh, an eminent Indian-American from the Greater Washington DC area, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for banning Chinese applications in India. Noting that people of India have stopped buying China made goods, he said there was also a need for the Americans to make a similar move. This was the second major anti-China protest by Indian-Americans here in Washington DC.

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