41 countries have backed the UN rights chief's demand for a visit to Xinjiang. If Xinjiang is as happy & peaceful as Beijing claims, why is it blocking this request? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: UN seeks Xinjiang visit, China declines

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned against benefitting from forced labour in Xinjiang, speaking Wednesday on a visit to Germany, whose iconic automaker Volkswagen operates in the Chinese region.

"It's incumbent upon all of us to do whatever we can to make sure that products that may be result of forced labour are not coming into our countries," he said.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-forced-uighur-labour-making-your-favourite-apple-products-384385/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Human rights organisations have accused China of&nbsp;detaining and torturing Uighurs in camps, where some former inmates have said they were subject to ideological indoctrination.

The US&nbsp;government has imposed sanctions on Chinese officials after accusing China of committing what amounts to genocide in&nbsp;Xinjiang&nbsp;in recent years, citing the internment programme, forced sterilisations and mass labour transfers.

Recently, the G7 committed to removing forced labour from global supply chains,&nbsp;naming China’s Xinjiang region as the main source of concern.

Beijing denies accusations of genocide, and says its policies in&nbsp;Xinjiang&nbsp;were necessary to stamp out separatists and religious extremists who plotted attacks and stirred up tensions between Uyghurs and Han, China's largest ethnic group.

However, some academics and politicians say there is insufficient evidence of intent by Beijing to destroy an ethnic population in part or full to meet the threshold for a genocide determination.

No such formal criminal charges have been laid against Chinese or&nbsp;Xinjiang&nbsp;officials because of a lack of available evidence on and insight into the policies in the region. Prosecuting officials would also be complex and require a high bar of proof.

Additionally, China is not party to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the top international court that prosecutes genocide and other serious crimes, and which can only bring action against states within its jurisdiction.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned against benefitting from forced labour in Xinjiang, speaking Wednesday on a visit to Germany, whose iconic automaker Volkswagen operates in the Chinese region.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned against benefitting from forced labour in Xinjiang, speaking Wednesday on a visit to Germany, whose iconic automaker Volkswagen operates in the Chinese region. "It's incumbent upon all of us to do whatever we can to make sure that products that may be result of forced labour are not coming into our countries," he said. Human rights organisations have accused China of detaining and torturing Uighurs in camps, where some former inmates have said they were subject to ideological indoctrination. The US government has imposed sanctions on Chinese officials after accusing China of committing what amounts to genocide in Xinjiang in recent years, citing the internment programme, forced sterilisations and mass labour transfers. Recently, the G7 committed to removing forced labour from global supply chains, naming China’s Xinjiang region as the main source of concern. Beijing denies accusations of genocide, and says its policies in Xinjiang were necessary to stamp out separatists and religious extremists who plotted attacks and stirred up tensions between Uyghurs and Han, China's largest ethnic group. However, some academics and politicians say there is insufficient evidence of intent by Beijing to destroy an ethnic population in part or full to meet the threshold for a genocide determination. No such formal criminal charges have been laid against Chinese or Xinjiang officials because of a lack of available evidence on and insight into the policies in the region. Prosecuting officials would also be complex and require a high bar of proof. Additionally, China is not party to the International Criminal Court (ICC), the top international court that prosecutes genocide and other serious crimes, and which can only bring action against states within its jurisdiction. (With inputs from agencies)

'Stop benefitting from forced labour': Blinken warns countries against taking advantage of Uighurs

China&nbsp;on Wednesday slammed&nbsp;Belgian lawmaker&nbsp;Samuel Cogolati for spreading "lies and false information" after parliamentarians in Brussels approved a resolution warning of "serious risk of genocide" against the Uyghur Muslim minority in Xinjiang.

The motion, authored by MP Samuel Cogolati, was approved by the Belgian parliament's foreign relations committee and will be confirmed by a plenary session on July 1.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Wednesday hit back at the resolution as an attempt to "undermine social stability in Xinjiang and contain&nbsp;China's development".

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Zhao said Cogolati "maliciously spread lies and false information, seriously damaging&nbsp;China's sovereignty and interests", and warned Belgian lawmakers against "harming the overall state of&nbsp;China-Belgium relations."

China&nbsp;has faced mounting international criticism over its policies in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where the United States says Beijing is committing genocide.

At least one million people from mostly Muslim minorities have been held in camps in the region, according to rights groups who also accuse authorities of imposing forced labour.

Beijing has hit back at the accusations, touting its counter-terrorism and economic achievements in Xinjiang, applying tit-for-tat sanctions, and supporting lawsuits against its loudest critics.

The Belgian resolution would make it the sixth democratic parliament after Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Lithuania and the Czech Republic to denounce "crimes against humanity" against the Uyghurs.

G7 leaders on Sunday called on&nbsp;China&nbsp;in a joint statement after their meeting "to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially in relation to Xinjiang".

A report from rights group Amnesty International last week accused Beijing of "systematic state-organised mass imprisonment, torture and persecution amounting to crimes against humanity" in the northwestern region.

China on Wednesday slammed Belgian lawmaker Samuel Cogolati for spreading "lies and false information" after parliamentarians in Brussels approved a resolution warning of "serious risk of genocide" against the Uyghur Muslim minority in Xinjiang.

China on Wednesday slammed Belgian lawmaker Samuel Cogolati for spreading "lies and false information" after parliamentarians in Brussels approved a resolution warning of "serious risk of genocide" against the Uyghur Muslim minority in Xinjiang. The motion, authored by MP Samuel Cogolati, was approved by the Belgian parliament's foreign relations committee and will be confirmed by a plenary session on July 1. China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Wednesday hit back at the resolution as an attempt to "undermine social stability in Xinjiang and contain China's development". Zhao said Cogolati "maliciously spread lies and false information, seriously damaging China's sovereignty and interests", and warned Belgian lawmakers against "harming the overall state of China-Belgium relations." China has faced mounting international criticism over its policies in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where the United States says Beijing is committing genocide. At least one million people from mostly Muslim minorities have been held in camps in the region, according to rights groups who also accuse authorities of imposing forced labour. Beijing has hit back at the accusations, touting its counter-terrorism and economic achievements in Xinjiang, applying tit-for-tat sanctions, and supporting lawsuits against its loudest critics. The Belgian resolution would make it the sixth democratic parliament after Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Lithuania and the Czech Republic to denounce "crimes against humanity" against the Uyghurs. G7 leaders on Sunday called on China in a joint statement after their meeting "to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially in relation to Xinjiang". A report from rights group Amnesty International last week accused Beijing of "systematic state-organised mass imprisonment, torture and persecution amounting to crimes against humanity" in the northwestern region.

China slams Belgian lawmaker for spreading 'false information' over Xinjiang resolution

China on Monday accused the G7 of "political manipulation" after it criticised Beijing over its human rights record in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

In a communique after a three-day summit in England, G7 leaders slammed China over abuses against minorities in the Xinjiang region and pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, while US President Joe Biden called for Beijing to "start acting more responsibly in terms of international norms on human rights". 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g7-rally-around-the-need-to-counter-and-compete-with-china-white-house-391244">Also read | Also read: G7 adopts global infrastructure plan, an answer to China's Belt and Road Initiative</a>

The Chinese embassy in the United Kingdom responded angrily on Monday, and accused the G7 of "interfering".

"The Group of Seven (G-7) takes advantage of Xinjiang-related issues to engage in political manipulation and interfere in China's internal affairs, which we firmly oppose," an embassy spokesman said in a statement.

The statement accused the G7 of "lies, rumours and baseless accusations". 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-says-autocrat-putins-russia-might-be-weaker-than-it-seems-391216">Also read: Biden says 'autocrat' Putin's Russia might be weaker than it seems</a>

Human rights groups say China has rounded up an estimated one million Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang into internment camps, which Beijing says is to eradicate Islamic extremism.

"We will promote our values, including by calling on China to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms" the G7 communique read. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g7-adopts-global-infrastructure-plan-an-answer-to-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-391026">Also read: G7 adopts global infrastructure plan, an answer to China's Belt and Road Initiative</a>

At their first physical summit in nearly two years, leaders of the seven nations announced a number of pledges on Covid-19 vaccinations, climate change, rights and trade.

They also called for a new investigation in China into the origins of Covid-19 -- prompting a response from the Chinese embassy that the work needs to be done in a "scientific, objective and fair manner", without agreeing to a new probe.

"The current epidemic is still raging around the world, and the traceability work should be carried out by global scientists and should not be politicized," the embassy said.

The coronavirus first emerged in central China in late 2019, and the World Health Organization sent a team of international experts in January to probe its origins.

But their long-delayed report published in March drew no firm conclusions, and the investigation has since faced criticism for lacking transparency and access.

The G7 also announced a new infrastructure fund which President Biden said would be "much more equitable" than China's massive Belt and Road Initiative.

The Chinese embassy statement complained in response that the "accusations against China on economic and trade issues in the communique are inconsistent with the facts and are unreasonable."

China on Monday accused the G7 of "political manipulation" after it criticised Beijing over its human rights record in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. In a communique after a three-day summit in England, G7 leaders slammed China over abuses against minorities in the Xinjiang region and pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, while US President Joe Biden called for Beijing to "start acting more responsibly in terms of international norms on human rights".

China on Monday accused the G7 of "political manipulation" after it criticised Beijing over its human rights record in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. In a communique after a three-day summit in England, G7 leaders slammed China over abuses against minorities in the Xinjiang region and pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, while US President Joe Biden called for Beijing to "start acting more responsibly in terms of international norms on human rights". Also read | Also read: G7 adopts global infrastructure plan, an answer to China's Belt and Road Initiative The Chinese embassy in the United Kingdom responded angrily on Monday, and accused the G7 of "interfering". "The Group of Seven (G-7) takes advantage of Xinjiang-related issues to engage in political manipulation and interfere in China's internal affairs, which we firmly oppose," an embassy spokesman said in a statement. The statement accused the G7 of "lies, rumours and baseless accusations". Also read: Biden says 'autocrat' Putin's Russia might be weaker than it seems Human rights groups say China has rounded up an estimated one million Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang into internment camps, which Beijing says is to eradicate Islamic extremism. "We will promote our values, including by calling on China to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms" the G7 communique read. Also read: G7 adopts global infrastructure plan, an answer to China's Belt and Road Initiative At their first physical summit in nearly two years, leaders of the seven nations announced a number of pledges on Covid-19 vaccinations, climate change, rights and trade. They also called for a new investigation in China into the origins of Covid-19 -- prompting a response from the Chinese embassy that the work needs to be done in a "scientific, objective and fair manner", without agreeing to a new probe. "The current epidemic is still raging around the world, and the traceability work should be carried out by global scientists and should not be politicized," the embassy said. The coronavirus first emerged in central China in late 2019, and the World Health Organization sent a team of international experts in January to probe its origins. But their long-delayed report published in March drew no firm conclusions, and the investigation has since faced criticism for lacking transparency and access. The G7 also announced a new infrastructure fund which President Biden said would be "much more equitable" than China's massive Belt and Road Initiative. The Chinese embassy statement complained in response that the "accusations against China on economic and trade issues in the communique are inconsistent with the facts and are unreasonable."

After Xinjiang and Hong Kong criticism, China slams G7 'manipulation'

Adding to concerns about the inhumane treatment of the Uyghur community in Xinjiang, a new report by Amnesty International, released on Thursday, claims that every former camp detainee had to go through cruel treatment involving torture.&nbsp; 
 
The report relies on interviews with 108 people. This includes 55 camp survivors and several government cadres who worked at the camps.&nbsp;

The in-person interviews were conducted in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey and remotely in several other countries in Asia, Europe, and North America.&nbsp;

An ex-cadre told Amnesty that the Chinese officials created a week-long bonfire, in an attempt to burn as many documents from an office overseeing the camps. The document burning took place in 2019 after official Chinese government documents hinting towards the planning of the internment camps were leaked.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-accusations-of-genocide-from-the-west-china-policies-could-cut-millions-of-uyghur-births-in-xinjiang-report-389838">Also Read |&nbsp;Amid accusations of genocide from the West, China policies could cut millions of Uyghur births in Xinjiang: Report</a>

The report also reveals the reality behind the 'tours' of the camps. These tours are given by the government to international journalists, in a bid to paint the camps in a positive light.

As per human rights groups and first-hand accounts, more than 1 million Uyghurs and other minorities from Xinjiang are believed to be held in internment camps. Here, the minority communities are forced to study Marxism, renounce their religion, work in factories, and face abuse.&nbsp; 
 
One former detainee, who remains anonymous for safety, told Amnesty that he, along with other detainers, were trained for days on what to say to foreign journalists. As per Amnesty, keeping in mind the risk of detention for people who come out and speak publicly no interviews were conducted in Xinjiang either in person or remotely.

Amnesty has separated torture or ill-treatment into two categories. First, which took place as the results of daily life in the camps, and second, which occurred during interrogations. The torture methods used during interrogations included beatings, electric shocks, stress positions, sleep deprivation, and being hung from a wall.&nbsp;

Another torture method involved being locked in what's called a "tiger chair". It is a steel chair with affixed leg irons and handcuffs that render the body immobile.&nbsp;

Another research done in May claimed that birth rates have fallen in Xinjiang by almost half in the past two years. This comes after the Chinese government implemented policies to reduce the number of babies born in the Uyghur and other Muslim minority communities in the area. The research claims the decline in numbers is more extreme than seen in any global region in the past 71 years of UN fertility data collection. This also includes genocides in Rwanda and Cambodia.

Adding to concerns about the inhumane treatment of the Uyghur community in Xinjiang, a new report by Amnesty International, released on Thursday, claims that every former camp detainee had to go through cruel treatment involving torture.

Adding to concerns about the inhumane treatment of the Uyghur community in Xinjiang, a new report by Amnesty International, released on Thursday, claims that every former camp detainee had to go through cruel treatment involving torture. The report relies on interviews with 108 people. This includes 55 camp survivors and several government cadres who worked at the camps. The in-person interviews were conducted in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey and remotely in several other countries in Asia, Europe, and North America. An ex-cadre told Amnesty that the Chinese officials created a week-long bonfire, in an attempt to burn as many documents from an office overseeing the camps. The document burning took place in 2019 after official Chinese government documents hinting towards the planning of the internment camps were leaked. Also Read | Amid accusations of genocide from the West, China policies could cut millions of Uyghur births in Xinjiang: Report The report also reveals the reality behind the 'tours' of the camps. These tours are given by the government to international journalists, in a bid to paint the camps in a positive light. As per human rights groups and first-hand accounts, more than 1 million Uyghurs and other minorities from Xinjiang are believed to be held in internment camps. Here, the minority communities are forced to study Marxism, renounce their religion, work in factories, and face abuse. One former detainee, who remains anonymous for safety, told Amnesty that he, along with other detainers, were trained for days on what to say to foreign journalists. As per Amnesty, keeping in mind the risk of detention for people who come out and speak publicly no interviews were conducted in Xinjiang either in person or remotely. Amnesty has separated torture or ill-treatment into two categories. First, which took place as the results of daily life in the camps, and second, which occurred during interrogations. The torture methods used during interrogations included beatings, electric shocks, stress positions, sleep deprivation, and being hung from a wall. Another torture method involved being locked in what's called a "tiger chair". It is a steel chair with affixed leg irons and handcuffs that render the body immobile. Another research done in May claimed that birth rates have fallen in Xinjiang by almost half in the past two years. This comes after the Chinese government implemented policies to reduce the number of babies born in the Uyghur and other Muslim minority communities in the area. The research claims the decline in numbers is more extreme than seen in any global region in the past 71 years of UN fertility data collection. This also includes genocides in Rwanda and Cambodia.

Severe torture and systemic abuses against Uyghur Muslims in China: Amnesty report

China has reacted sharply to statements by Australia and New Zealand where they express grave concern over developments in Hong Kong and the Human Rights situation in Xinjiang.

China rejects Australia, New Zealand concerns about Human Rights

A software engineer has revealed that the Chinese government had been testing facial recognition and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to check the state of emotions of the Uighur community in the Xinjiang region.

The revelation was made by the software engineer to BBC’s Panorama programme on&nbsp; condition of anonymity as the engineer fears for his safety.

ALso read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/forced-sterilisation-and-xinjiangs-shrinking-population-386001" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/forced-sterilisation-and-xinjiangs-shrinking-population-386001&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiVreC54ObwAhWV73MBHZ83BYAQFjAGegQICBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2hZJiSjf4h-3vr5rHCx3Z9" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/forced-sterilisation-and-xinjiangs-shrinking-population-386001" target="_blank">Forced sterilisation and&nbsp;Xinjiang's&nbsp;shrinking population</a>

China's Xinjiang area is infamous for poor human rights and mistreatment of the minority communities such as Uighurs in the disguise of re-education centres.

It was revealed that the Chinese government has been treating the Uighur community as lab rats and the AI system was being tested on selected individuals. This system helped detect even the slightest changes of emotions in the selected individuals.

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"The Chinese government use Uyghurs as test subjects for various experiments just like rats are used in laboratories," the software engineer said. "We placed the emotion detection camera 3m from the subject. It is similar to a lie detector but far more advanced technology."

As per the engineer, the AI software makes pie charts to showcase the result and the majority of the individuals showed a major ‘red zone’ which signifies an anxious state of mind or scared.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/mosques-disappear-as-china-strives-to-build-beautiful-xinjiang-384889" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/mosques-disappear-as-china-strives-to-build-beautiful-xinjiang-384889&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiVreC54ObwAhWV73MBHZ83BYAQFjAJegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3eG98pXn8P3UR7v3NkiF7M" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mosques-disappear-as-china-strives-to-build-beautiful-xinjiang-384889" target="_blank">Mosques disappear as China strives to 'build beautiful&nbsp;Xinjiang</a>'

He also said that the local police has been using restraint chairs in which “your wrists are locked in place by metal restraints, and [the] same applies to your ankles”.

These claims were dismissed by the Chinese embassy in London who claim "the political, economic, and social rights and freedom of religious belief in all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are fully guaranteed."

Once again, dismissing all reports of inhumane treatment of the minority communities in the region, the officials said, "people live in harmony regardless of their ethnic backgrounds and enjoy a stable and peaceful life with no restriction to personal freedom".

A software engineer has revealed that the Chinese government had been testing facial recognition and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to check the state of emotions of the Uighur community in the Xinjiang region.

A software engineer has revealed that the Chinese government had been testing facial recognition and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to check the state of emotions of the Uighur community in the Xinjiang region. The revelation was made by the software engineer to BBC’s Panorama programme on condition of anonymity as the engineer fears for his safety. ALso read | Forced sterilisation and Xinjiang's shrinking population China's Xinjiang area is infamous for poor human rights and mistreatment of the minority communities such as Uighurs in the disguise of re-education centres. It was revealed that the Chinese government has been treating the Uighur community as lab rats and the AI system was being tested on selected individuals. This system helped detect even the slightest changes of emotions in the selected individuals. Also read | Solar panel manufacturing linked to forced labour of Uighur "The Chinese government use Uyghurs as test subjects for various experiments just like rats are used in laboratories," the software engineer said. "We placed the emotion detection camera 3m from the subject. It is similar to a lie detector but far more advanced technology." As per the engineer, the AI software makes pie charts to showcase the result and the majority of the individuals showed a major ‘red zone’ which signifies an anxious state of mind or scared. Also read | Mosques disappear as China strives to 'build beautiful Xinjiang' He also said that the local police has been using restraint chairs in which “your wrists are locked in place by metal restraints, and [the] same applies to your ankles”. These claims were dismissed by the Chinese embassy in London who claim "the political, economic, and social rights and freedom of religious belief in all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are fully guaranteed." Once again, dismissing all reports of inhumane treatment of the minority communities in the region, the officials said, "people live in harmony regardless of their ethnic backgrounds and enjoy a stable and peaceful life with no restriction to personal freedom".

China using facial recognition tech on Uighurs in Xinjiang to detect emotions: Reports

She was already beyond child-bearing age, but Qelbinur Sedik says Chinese authorities still forcibly sterilised her, part of what she describes as a systematic campaign to suppress births of Uyghurs and other minorities in the tense Xinjiang region.&nbsp;

In 2019, Sedik, then aged 50, says she begged authorities to spare her from being fitted with the compulsory IUD, as previous attempts resulted in severe pain and bleeding.&nbsp;

So, community workers gave her no choice but to be sterilised at a clinic in her home city of Urumqi, under threat of police action if she refused.&nbsp;

Upon returning home, she says she bled non-stop for several days.&nbsp;

"Why would they extend this to women aged over 50, who've gone through menopause and have no way of giving birth?" she told AFP from Holland, where she is seeking asylum.&nbsp;

Sedik, who still suffers from chronic pain and abnormal bleeding, is an ethnic Uzbek, one of the Turkic Muslim ethnic groups that live in Xinjiang.&nbsp;

In the northwest territory, official data shows birth rates have nearly halved between 2017 and 2019, the steepest drop of all Chinese provinces and regions in that time and the most extreme globally since 1950, according to an analysis by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI).&nbsp;

After reaching Europe, Sedik said she was still in shock.&nbsp;

"I couldn't get out of bed for five months. I couldn't fall asleep. My daughter saw me crying every day," she recalls.&nbsp;

For decades, Xinjiang had some of China's highest birth rates, which led to rapid growth in the Uyghur population. Today, it is home to around 12 million mostly Muslim Uyghurs, who make up half the population.&nbsp;

Large numbers of 'illegal' births occurred outside strict birth limits, a maximum of three children for minorities in rural areas, as authorities seemingly turned a blind eye.&nbsp;

Now, the pendulum has swung the other way as Beijing seeks to exert control over what it views as unruly minorities in a strategic border region.&nbsp;

Scholars and rights advocates say ramped-up birth control policies since 2017, including arbitrary quotas for sterilisation and IUD insertion, and imprisonment for having too many children, are part of a deliberate, state-backed attempt to suppress ethnic minority births in Xinjiang.&nbsp;

She was already beyond child-bearing age, but Qelbinur Sedik says Chinese authorities still forcibly sterilised her, part of what she describes as a systematic campaign to suppress births of Uyghurs and other minorities in the tense Xinjiang region.

She was already beyond child-bearing age, but Qelbinur Sedik says Chinese authorities still forcibly sterilised her, part of what she describes as a systematic campaign to suppress births of Uyghurs and other minorities in the tense Xinjiang region. In 2019, Sedik, then aged 50, says she begged authorities to spare her from being fitted with the compulsory IUD, as previous attempts resulted in severe pain and bleeding. So, community workers gave her no choice but to be sterilised at a clinic in her home city of Urumqi, under threat of police action if she refused. Upon returning home, she says she bled non-stop for several days. "Why would they extend this to women aged over 50, who've gone through menopause and have no way of giving birth?" she told AFP from Holland, where she is seeking asylum. Sedik, who still suffers from chronic pain and abnormal bleeding, is an ethnic Uzbek, one of the Turkic Muslim ethnic groups that live in Xinjiang. In the northwest territory, official data shows birth rates have nearly halved between 2017 and 2019, the steepest drop of all Chinese provinces and regions in that time and the most extreme globally since 1950, according to an analysis by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI). After reaching Europe, Sedik said she was still in shock. "I couldn't get out of bed for five months. I couldn't fall asleep. My daughter saw me crying every day," she recalls. For decades, Xinjiang had some of China's highest birth rates, which led to rapid growth in the Uyghur population. Today, it is home to around 12 million mostly Muslim Uyghurs, who make up half the population. Large numbers of 'illegal' births occurred outside strict birth limits, a maximum of three children for minorities in rural areas, as authorities seemingly turned a blind eye. Now, the pendulum has swung the other way as Beijing seeks to exert control over what it views as unruly minorities in a strategic border region. Scholars and rights advocates say ramped-up birth control policies since 2017, including arbitrary quotas for sterilisation and IUD insertion, and imprisonment for having too many children, are part of a deliberate, state-backed attempt to suppress ethnic minority births in Xinjiang.

Forced sterilisation and Xinjiang's shrinking population 

Solar panels are a good way to contribute to reversing the effects of climate change. However, a recent report has claimed the manufacturing of these solar panels might not be good for human rights.

A study by the UK’s Sheffield Hallam University reports the majority of the solar panel manufacturing is being done by the forced labour of the Uighur community in China’s Xinjiang area.

As per the report, nearly 45 per cent of the polysilicon manufacturers are based out of the Xinjiang area of China, where the Uighur community is allegedly tied in forced labour by the Chinese government.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-gets-cornered-on-xinjiang-deploys-imams-for-defence-384841" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/china-gets-cornered-on-xinjiang-deploys-imams-for-defence-384841&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiYoaG08MvwAhVezjgGHSuFD-IQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1gCJ8h_8viKuiEa-LcdGdV" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-gets-cornered-on-xinjiang-deploys-imams-for-defence-384841" target="_blank">China gets cornered on&nbsp;Xinjiang, deploys imams for defence</a>

The researchers claimed the Chinese government is making the Uighur labour work in "an environment of unprecedented coercion, undergirded by the constant threat of re-education and internment," the report reads.

Experts have also alleged that many of the manufacturing companies are benefitting from the companies and authorities that employ the minority groups in absolute inhumane conditions.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/birth-rate-fell-in-xinjiang-after-implementation-of-birth-control-policies-report-384655">Birth rate fell in Xinjiang after implementation of birth control policies: Report</a>

It "determined that many of the major Chinese producers of raw materials, solar-grade polysilicon, ingots and wafers integral to solar module manufacturing are operating facilities in the region that have employed forced labour transfers of the indigenous people of the region, and that many of these manufacturers have beneficial relationships with the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps," the report alleged.

"These manufacturers’ adoption of compulsory labour has a significant impact on downstream producers of solar modules and for the governments, developers, and consumers who buy them," it added.

In the report, the experts have identified at least 90 Chinese and other international companies with ties to forced labour. The aim of the report, as per the researchers, is to urge these companies to procure the material from some other place, rather than encouraging forced labour by associating their supply chain to the Xinjiang area.

The examples and facts stated in the report "are meant to provide stakeholders with the evidence based upon which to judge risk of exposure to forced labour in the solar supply chain," experts said.

Solar panels are a good way to contribute to reversing the effects of climate change. However, a recent report has claimed the manufacturing of these solar panels might not be good for human rights.

Solar panels are a good way to contribute to reversing the effects of climate change. However, a recent report has claimed the manufacturing of these solar panels might not be good for human rights. A study by the UK’s Sheffield Hallam University reports the majority of the solar panel manufacturing is being done by the forced labour of the Uighur community in China’s Xinjiang area. As per the report, nearly 45 per cent of the polysilicon manufacturers are based out of the Xinjiang area of China, where the Uighur community is allegedly tied in forced labour by the Chinese government. Also read | China gets cornered on Xinjiang, deploys imams for defence The researchers claimed the Chinese government is making the Uighur labour work in "an environment of unprecedented coercion, undergirded by the constant threat of re-education and internment," the report reads. Experts have also alleged that many of the manufacturing companies are benefitting from the companies and authorities that employ the minority groups in absolute inhumane conditions. Also read | Birth rate fell in Xinjiang after implementation of birth control policies: Report It "determined that many of the major Chinese producers of raw materials, solar-grade polysilicon, ingots and wafers integral to solar module manufacturing are operating facilities in the region that have employed forced labour transfers of the indigenous people of the region, and that many of these manufacturers have beneficial relationships with the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps," the report alleged. "These manufacturers’ adoption of compulsory labour has a significant impact on downstream producers of solar modules and for the governments, developers, and consumers who buy them," it added. In the report, the experts have identified at least 90 Chinese and other international companies with ties to forced labour. The aim of the report, as per the researchers, is to urge these companies to procure the material from some other place, rather than encouraging forced labour by associating their supply chain to the Xinjiang area. The examples and facts stated in the report "are meant to provide stakeholders with the evidence based upon which to judge risk of exposure to forced labour in the solar supply chain," experts said.

Solar panel manufacturing linked to forced labour of Uighur in Xinjiang

China does not like to be spoken about unless the words are praises. Criticisms attract the dragon's wrath and a mention of Xinjiang, fire. If anyone asks for access to Xinjiang, Chinese Imams lie through their teeth.

"Today's Xinjiang enjoys economic development and social stability, and people live in harmony. And we Muslims live a very happy life too. We are grateful to the party and government from the bottom of our heart," says Mamat Juma, Imam of Id Kah mosque.

Let's rewind a little.

On the 12th of May, there was a virtual meeting on the situation in Xinjiang. It was organised by Germany, the US, and the UK. It was co-sponsored by Canada, Australia, New Zealand among others.

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&nbsp;

China had tried to stall this meeting. Beijing lobbied against it, asked UN members to stay away. It text-messaged UN ambassadors from 15 western nations, asking them to 'think twice'.

But nothing worked and the virtual event was held. It was attended by 51 countries.

"In Xinjiang, people are being tortured. Women are being forcibly sterilized. Many Uyghur people and other ethnic and religious minorities – who only wish to practice basic freedom of religion, belief, expression, and movement – are being forced to work until they drop," said Linda Thomas-Greenfield during the event. She is USA's ambassador to the UN.

"This is a wider situation, probably one of the worst human rights crises of our time," said Barbara Woodward, UK ambassador to the UN.

"Now the Chinese government claims that this is about fighting terrorism, but frankly Beijing doesn't even pretend that this is a targeted effort. This sweeping broad-based persecution is a blatant attack on Islam and on Uyghur culture. Terrorism is a feeble pretext," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch.

Speaker after speaker rebuked China. Some even took on the UN Human Rights Commission for not doing enough. UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet was called out for not joining the event.

"Do not let China's portrayal of critics define your motivation," said Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty international.

One country that saw nothing wrong with what was happening in Xinjiang was China.

"Xinjiang is a beautiful, peaceful and prosperous place. Your attempt of using Xinjiang to contain China is doomed to fail," said Guo Jiakun, counsellor, Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations.

'Xinjiang is peaceful' was his version of the truth. By the end of the event, China was battered with criticism.&nbsp;

The consensus was loud and clear. An immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang.

Cut to the day after.

An event marking the end of Ramzan was organised in Beijing. It was well-orchestrated. Invites were sent out to foreign diplomats. The doors were opened to the press and cameras. And then Beijing paraded some very well-trained Muslim clerics. Each parroting the lines of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

"The anti-China forces in the US and western countries have shown unusual interest to Muslims in Xinjiang," said Abdureqip Tomurniyaz, president of the Islam Association of Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region.

"Cracking down on religious extremism is to better protect legal religion," said Mamat Juma, Imam of Id Kah mosque.

Over a million Uyghur Muslims have been put in China's concentration camps. Reports say that many have died. Many have been raped, forcefully sterilised. China's minorities are disappearing.

And it may take more than a set of well-trained CCP Imams for China to scrub this genocide from the conscience of the world.

From where we stand, China has been cornered on Xinjiang. And sooner rather than later, it will be made to pay.

China does not like to be spoken about unless the words are praises. Criticisms attract the dragon's wrath and a mention of Xinjiang, fire. If anyone asks for access to Xinjiang, Chinese Imams lie through their teeth.

China does not like to be spoken about unless the words are praises. Criticisms attract the dragon's wrath and a mention of Xinjiang, fire. If anyone asks for access to Xinjiang, Chinese Imams lie through their teeth. "Today's Xinjiang enjoys economic development and social stability, and people live in harmony. And we Muslims live a very happy life too. We are grateful to the party and government from the bottom of our heart," says Mamat Juma, Imam of Id Kah mosque. Let's rewind a little. On the 12th of May, there was a virtual meeting on the situation in Xinjiang. It was organised by Germany, the US, and the UK. It was co-sponsored by Canada, Australia, New Zealand among others. × China had tried to stall this meeting. Beijing lobbied against it, asked UN members to stay away. It text-messaged UN ambassadors from 15 western nations, asking them to 'think twice'. But nothing worked and the virtual event was held. It was attended by 51 countries. "In Xinjiang, people are being tortured. Women are being forcibly sterilized. Many Uyghur people and other ethnic and religious minorities – who only wish to practice basic freedom of religion, belief, expression, and movement – are being forced to work until they drop," said Linda Thomas-Greenfield during the event. She is USA's ambassador to the UN. "This is a wider situation, probably one of the worst human rights crises of our time," said Barbara Woodward, UK ambassador to the UN. "Now the Chinese government claims that this is about fighting terrorism, but frankly Beijing doesn't even pretend that this is a targeted effort. This sweeping broad-based persecution is a blatant attack on Islam and on Uyghur culture. Terrorism is a feeble pretext," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. Speaker after speaker rebuked China. Some even took on the UN Human Rights Commission for not doing enough. UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet was called out for not joining the event. "Do not let China's portrayal of critics define your motivation," said Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty international. One country that saw nothing wrong with what was happening in Xinjiang was China. "Xinjiang is a beautiful, peaceful and prosperous place. Your attempt of using Xinjiang to contain China is doomed to fail," said Guo Jiakun, counsellor, Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations. 'Xinjiang is peaceful' was his version of the truth. By the end of the event, China was battered with criticism. The consensus was loud and clear. An immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang. Cut to the day after. An event marking the end of Ramzan was organised in Beijing. It was well-orchestrated. Invites were sent out to foreign diplomats. The doors were opened to the press and cameras. And then Beijing paraded some very well-trained Muslim clerics. Each parroting the lines of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). "The anti-China forces in the US and western countries have shown unusual interest to Muslims in Xinjiang," said Abdureqip Tomurniyaz, president of the Islam Association of Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region. "Cracking down on religious extremism is to better protect legal religion," said Mamat Juma, Imam of Id Kah mosque. Over a million Uyghur Muslims have been put in China's concentration camps. Reports say that many have died. Many have been raped, forcefully sterilised. China's minorities are disappearing. And it may take more than a set of well-trained CCP Imams for China to scrub this genocide from the conscience of the world. From where we stand, China has been cornered on Xinjiang. And sooner rather than later, it will be made to pay.

China gets cornered on Xinjiang, deploys imams for defence

The Jiaman mosque in the city of Qira, in the far western Chinese region of Xinjiang, is hidden behind high walls and Communist Party propaganda signs, leaving passersby with no indication that it is home to a religious site.

In late April, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, two ethnic Uyghur women sat behind a tiny mesh grate, underneath a surveillance camera, inside the compound of what had long been the city's largest place of worship.

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Within minutes of reporters arriving, four men in plain clothes showed up and took up positions around the site, locking gates to nearby residential buildings.

The men told the reporters it was illegal to take photos and to leave.

"There's no mosque here ... there has never been a mosque at this site," said one of the men in response to a question from Reuters if there was a mosque inside. He declined to identify himself.

Minarets on the building's four corners, visible in publicly available satellite images in 2019, have gone. A large blue metal box stood where the mosque's central dome had once been. It was not clear if it was a place of worship at the time the satellite images were taken.

In recent months, China has stepped up a campaign on state media and with government-arranged tours to counter the criticism of researchers, rights groups, and former Xinjiang residents who say thousands of mosques have been targeted in a crackdown on the region's mostly Muslim Uyghur people.

Officials from Xinjiang and Beijing told reporters in Beijing that no religious sites had been forcibly destroyed or restricted and invited them to visit and report.

"Instead, we have taken a series of measures to protect them," Elijan Anayat, a spokesman for the Xinjiang government, said of mosques late last year.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday some mosques had been demolished, while others had been upgraded and expanded as part of rural revitalisation but Muslims could practise their religion openly at home and in mosques.

Asked about restrictions authorities put on journalists visiting the area, Hua said reporters had to try harder to "win the trust of the Chinese people" and report objectively.

Reuters visited more than two dozen mosques across seven counties in southwest and central Xinjiang on a 12-day visit during Ramadan, which ended on Thursday.

There is a contrast between Beijing's campaign to protect mosques and religious freedom and the reality on the ground. Most of the mosques have&nbsp;been partially or completely demolished.

China has repeatedly said that Xinjiang faces a serious threat from separatists and religious extremists who plot attacks and stir up tension between Uyghurs who call the region home and the ethnic Han, China's largest ethic group.

A mass crackdown that includes a campaign of restrictions on religious practice and what rights groups describe as the forced political indoctrination of more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslims began in earnest in 2017.

China initially denied detaining people in detention camps, but has since said they are vocational training centres and that the people have “graduated” from them.

The government says there are more than 20,000 mosques in Xinjiang but no detailed data on their status is available.

Some functioning mosques have signs saying congregants must register while citizens from outside the area, foreigners and anyone under the age of 18 are banned from going in.

Functioning mosques feature surveillance cameras and include Chinese flags and propaganda displays declaring loyalty to the ruling Communist Party.

Visiting reporters were almost always followed by plainclothes personnel and warned not to take photographs.

A Han woman, who said she had moved to the city of Hotan six years ago from central China, said Muslims who wanted to pray could do so at home.

"There are no Muslims like that here anymore," the woman said, referring to those who used to pray at the mosque. She added: "Life in Xinjiang is beautiful."

Some state-sanctioned mosques are shown off to visiting journalists and diplomats, like the Jiaman Mosque in Hotan.

"Everything is paid for by the party," said a Hotan official at the mosque on a visit.

The official, who went by the nickname "Ade" but declined to give his full name, said men were free to pray at the mosque five times a day, according to Islamic custom.

While reporters were there, several dozen men, most of them elderly, came to pray as dusk fell. Afterwards, they broke their fast with food provided by the local government.

The mosque, more than 170 years old, is one of four in the region earmarked as cultural relics, with funds for renovation from the central government, the Xinjiang government said.

As the mosque's leader or imam removed his shoes, Ade demonstrated a machine given by the government that shrink-wraps shoes in plastic.

"Now you don't even need to take your shoes off in the mosque, it's very convenient," he said.

In Changji, about 40 km west of the regional capital, Urumqi, green and red minarets of the city's Xinqu Mosque lay broken below a Chinese flag flying over the deserted building's courtyard.

Reuters analysed satellite imagery of 10 mosques in Changji city and visited six of them.

A total of 31 minarets and 12 green or gold domes had been removed within a period of two months after April 2018, according to dated images.

At several mosques, Islamic architecture was replaced with Chinese-style roofing. These included Changji's Tianchi road mosque, whose gold dome and minarets were removed in 2018, according to publicly available satellite images.

The Xinjiang government did not respond to a request for comment on the state of mosques in the region.

Researchers at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute estimated in 2020, after a survey of 900 Xinjiang locations, that 16,000 mosques had been partially or completely destroyed over the previous three years.

Signs outside the Xinqu Mosque, with the crumbling minarets, said a housing development would soon be built on the site.

"For ethic unity, build a beautiful Xinjiang," a sign read.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Jiaman mosque in the city of Qira, in the far western Chinese region of Xinjiang, is hidden behind high walls and Communist Party propaganda signs, leaving passersby with no indication that it is home to a religious site.

The Jiaman mosque in the city of Qira, in the far western Chinese region of Xinjiang, is hidden behind high walls and Communist Party propaganda signs, leaving passersby with no indication that it is home to a religious site. In late April, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, two ethnic Uyghur women sat behind a tiny mesh grate, underneath a surveillance camera, inside the compound of what had long been the city's largest place of worship. Within minutes of reporters arriving, four men in plain clothes showed up and took up positions around the site, locking gates to nearby residential buildings. The men told the reporters it was illegal to take photos and to leave. "There's no mosque here ... there has never been a mosque at this site," said one of the men in response to a question from Reuters if there was a mosque inside. He declined to identify himself. Minarets on the building's four corners, visible in publicly available satellite images in 2019, have gone. A large blue metal box stood where the mosque's central dome had once been. It was not clear if it was a place of worship at the time the satellite images were taken. In recent months, China has stepped up a campaign on state media and with government-arranged tours to counter the criticism of researchers, rights groups, and former Xinjiang residents who say thousands of mosques have been targeted in a crackdown on the region's mostly Muslim Uyghur people. Officials from Xinjiang and Beijing told reporters in Beijing that no religious sites had been forcibly destroyed or restricted and invited them to visit and report. "Instead, we have taken a series of measures to protect them," Elijan Anayat, a spokesman for the Xinjiang government, said of mosques late last year. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday some mosques had been demolished, while others had been upgraded and expanded as part of rural revitalisation but Muslims could practise their religion openly at home and in mosques. Asked about restrictions authorities put on journalists visiting the area, Hua said reporters had to try harder to "win the trust of the Chinese people" and report objectively. Reuters visited more than two dozen mosques across seven counties in southwest and central Xinjiang on a 12-day visit during Ramadan, which ended on Thursday. There is a contrast between Beijing's campaign to protect mosques and religious freedom and the reality on the ground. Most of the mosques have been partially or completely demolished. China has repeatedly said that Xinjiang faces a serious threat from separatists and religious extremists who plot attacks and stir up tension between Uyghurs who call the region home and the ethnic Han, China's largest ethic group. A mass crackdown that includes a campaign of restrictions on religious practice and what rights groups describe as the forced political indoctrination of more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslims began in earnest in 2017. China initially denied detaining people in detention camps, but has since said they are vocational training centres and that the people have “graduated” from them. The government says there are more than 20,000 mosques in Xinjiang but no detailed data on their status is available. Some functioning mosques have signs saying congregants must register while citizens from outside the area, foreigners and anyone under the age of 18 are banned from going in. Functioning mosques feature surveillance cameras and include Chinese flags and propaganda displays declaring loyalty to the ruling Communist Party. Visiting reporters were almost always followed by plainclothes personnel and warned not to take photographs. A Han woman, who said she had moved to the city of Hotan six years ago from central China, said Muslims who wanted to pray could do so at home. "There are no Muslims like that here anymore," the woman said, referring to those who used to pray at the mosque. She added: "Life in Xinjiang is beautiful." Some state-sanctioned mosques are shown off to visiting journalists and diplomats, like the Jiaman Mosque in Hotan. "Everything is paid for by the party," said a Hotan official at the mosque on a visit. The official, who went by the nickname "Ade" but declined to give his full name, said men were free to pray at the mosque five times a day, according to Islamic custom. While reporters were there, several dozen men, most of them elderly, came to pray as dusk fell. Afterwards, they broke their fast with food provided by the local government. The mosque, more than 170 years old, is one of four in the region earmarked as cultural relics, with funds for renovation from the central government, the Xinjiang government said. As the mosque's leader or imam removed his shoes, Ade demonstrated a machine given by the government that shrink-wraps shoes in plastic. "Now you don't even need to take your shoes off in the mosque, it's very convenient," he said. In Changji, about 40 km west of the regional capital, Urumqi, green and red minarets of the city's Xinqu Mosque lay broken below a Chinese flag flying over the deserted building's courtyard. Reuters analysed satellite imagery of 10 mosques in Changji city and visited six of them. A total of 31 minarets and 12 green or gold domes had been removed within a period of two months after April 2018, according to dated images. At several mosques, Islamic architecture was replaced with Chinese-style roofing. These included Changji's Tianchi road mosque, whose gold dome and minarets were removed in 2018, according to publicly available satellite images. The Xinjiang government did not respond to a request for comment on the state of mosques in the region. Researchers at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute estimated in 2020, after a survey of 900 Xinjiang locations, that 16,000 mosques had been partially or completely destroyed over the previous three years. Signs outside the Xinqu Mosque, with the crumbling minarets, said a housing development would soon be built on the site. "For ethic unity, build a beautiful Xinjiang," a sign read. (With inputs from agencies)

Mosques disappear as China strives to 'build beautiful Xinjiang'

China has finally been cornered on Xinjiang. U.K, U.S. and Germany clashed with China at the United Nations and demanded access to Xinjiang. What did China do? Got Muslim clerics to parrot 'Xinjiang is beautiful'. Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: China cornered on Xinjiang

Adding to concerns about the inhumane treatment of the Uighur community in Xinjiang, new research has claimed that birth rates have fallen in the Chinese region by almost half in the past two years.

The figures have seen a decline in the birth rates after the Chinese government implemented policies to reduce the number of babies born in the Uighur and other Muslim minority communities in the area.

This research was conducted by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) and claims the decline in numbers is more extreme than any seen in any global region in the past 71 years of UN fertility data collection, which also includes periods of genocides in Rwanda and Cambodia.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xinjiang-internment-camps-sister-of-uighur-rights-advocate-rebiya-kadeer-dies-after-release-from-detention-384643">Xinjiang internment camps: Sister of Uighur rights advocate Rebiya Kadeer dies after release from detention</a>

Through this research, the issue of women of the Xinjiang region being forced to take birth control measures by the Chinese government has hit the surface again.

Nathan Ruser and James Leibold, the authors of this report, used publicly available data by the Chinese government. They created a dataset of birthrates from 2011 to 2019 and then compared birthrates of different counties with those of the Uighur and other Muslim communities.

They used data to compare the time period before, during, and after the Chinese government implemented their campaign against "illegal births" in 2017.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-forced-uighur-labour-making-your-favourite-apple-products-384385">Watch |</a>

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As per the data, the birthrate in the Xinjiang community fell by 48.7 between 2017 and 2019. The birthrate dropped by at least 90 per cent in regions where the population was majorly non-Han Chinese.

"Previous research by both Chinese and foreign experts has examined the tightening of birth control policy in Xinjiang and a corresponding drop in natural population growth beginning in 2015, but even more dramatically after 2017," the report said.

In April, the Human Rights Watch had concluded through a report that the Chinese government was committing crimes against humanity by ill-treating the minority communities and forcing women to take unsafe birth control measures to control the population boom from these groups. However, the group had also said that this alarming conclusion can be completely believed only after a little more investigation.

This report has identified this as "an increasingly urgent problem and source of perceived instability, literally a breeding ground for the ‘three evil forces' of extremism, terrorism and splitism".

Researchers have also stressed that these inhumane practises are mainly aimed at the Uighur and Xinjiang communities, rather than all minority groups. "One thing we found is that in other provinces of similarly high minority populations … the birthrate climbed by about 3% in the last decade," Ruser said. "So these policies seem to be very deliberately targeted towards the community of Xinjiang and the Uighur community. When they talk about those general minority figures, I think you have to keep in mind there are 55 other minorities."

Adding to concerns about the inhumane treatment of the Uighur community in Xinjiang, new research has claimed that birth rates have fallen in the Chinese region by almost half in the past two years.

Adding to concerns about the inhumane treatment of the Uighur community in Xinjiang, new research has claimed that birth rates have fallen in the Chinese region by almost half in the past two years. The figures have seen a decline in the birth rates after the Chinese government implemented policies to reduce the number of babies born in the Uighur and other Muslim minority communities in the area. This research was conducted by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) and claims the decline in numbers is more extreme than any seen in any global region in the past 71 years of UN fertility data collection, which also includes periods of genocides in Rwanda and Cambodia. Also read | Xinjiang internment camps: Sister of Uighur rights advocate Rebiya Kadeer dies after release from detention Through this research, the issue of women of the Xinjiang region being forced to take birth control measures by the Chinese government has hit the surface again. Nathan Ruser and James Leibold, the authors of this report, used publicly available data by the Chinese government. They created a dataset of birthrates from 2011 to 2019 and then compared birthrates of different counties with those of the Uighur and other Muslim communities. They used data to compare the time period before, during, and after the Chinese government implemented their campaign against "illegal births" in 2017. Watch | As per the data, the birthrate in the Xinjiang community fell by 48.7 between 2017 and 2019. The birthrate dropped by at least 90 per cent in regions where the population was majorly non-Han Chinese. "Previous research by both Chinese and foreign experts has examined the tightening of birth control policy in Xinjiang and a corresponding drop in natural population growth beginning in 2015, but even more dramatically after 2017," the report said. In April, the Human Rights Watch had concluded through a report that the Chinese government was committing crimes against humanity by ill-treating the minority communities and forcing women to take unsafe birth control measures to control the population boom from these groups. However, the group had also said that this alarming conclusion can be completely believed only after a little more investigation. This report has identified this as "an increasingly urgent problem and source of perceived instability, literally a breeding ground for the ‘three evil forces' of extremism, terrorism and splitism". Researchers have also stressed that these inhumane practises are mainly aimed at the Uighur and Xinjiang communities, rather than all minority groups. "One thing we found is that in other provinces of similarly high minority populations … the birthrate climbed by about 3% in the last decade," Ruser said. "So these policies seem to be very deliberately targeted towards the community of Xinjiang and the Uighur community. When they talk about those general minority figures, I think you have to keep in mind there are 55 other minorities."

Birth rate fell in Xinjiang after implementation of birth control policies: Report

Is Apple working with human rights violators? A new report claims that 7 Apple suppliers use forced Uighur labour from Xinjiang in their factories. Palki Sharma tells you more about the findings.

Gravitas: Is forced Uighur labour making your favourite Apple products?

China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that the use of the United Nations as a platform for a virtual event on the repression of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang was an insult to the institution.

China's foreign ministry says UN event on Xinjiang an insult

China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Monday said that a planned&nbsp;event at the United Nations on the repression of Uighur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang was an insult to the institution.

"The US has rounded up a few countries to abuse the resources and platform of the United Nations to smear and attack China to serve its interests. This is total blasphemy against the United Nations,"&nbsp;Hua&nbsp;said at a daily news conference in Beijing.

Some Western states and rights groups have accused authorities in Xinjiang of detaining and torturing Uighurs in camps, which the United States has described as genocide.&nbsp;

In January, Washington banned the import of cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang over allegations of forced labour.

Beijing denies the accusations and describes the camps as vocational training centres to combat religious extremism.

(With inputs from agencies)

China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Monday said that a planned event at the United Nations on the repression of Uighur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang was an insult to the institution.

China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Monday said that a planned event at the United Nations on the repression of Uighur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang was an insult to the institution. "The US has rounded up a few countries to abuse the resources and platform of the United Nations to smear and attack China to serve its interests. This is total blasphemy against the United Nations," Hua said at a daily news conference in Beijing. Some Western states and rights groups have accused authorities in Xinjiang of detaining and torturing Uighurs in camps, which the United States has described as genocide. In January, Washington banned the import of cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang over allegations of forced labour. Beijing denies the accusations and describes the camps as vocational training centres to combat religious extremism. (With inputs from agencies)

China cries foul, calls planned UN event on Xinjiang 'total blasphemy'

While China continues to deny Human Rights abuses in Xinjiang, another harrowing testimony of a Uighur Refugee has resurfaced.

China: Reality of China's concentration camps stands exposed

China has urged United Nations member states not to attend an event planned next week by Germany, the United States and Britain on the repression of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang, according to a note seen by Reuters on Friday. &nbsp;

"It is a politically-motivated event," China's UN mission wrote in the note, dated Thursday. "We request your mission NOT to participate in this anti-China event."&nbsp;

China charged that the organisers of the event, which also include several other European states along with Australia and Canada, use "human rights issues as a political tool to interfere in China's internal affairs like Xinjiang, to create division and turbulence and disrupt China's development."&nbsp;

"They are obsessed with provoking confrontation with China," the note said, adding that "the provocative event can only lead to more confrontation." &nbsp;

The Chinese mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.&nbsp;

The ambassadors of the United States, Germany and Britain are due to address the virtual UN event on Wednesday, along with Human Rights Watch Executive Director Ken Roth and Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard.&nbsp;

The aim of the event is to "discuss how the UN system, member states and civil society can support and advocate for the human rights of members of ethnic Turkic communities in Xinjiang," according to an invitation.&nbsp;

Western states and rights groups have accused authorities in Xinjiang of detaining and torturing Uyghurs in camps, which the United States has described as genocide. In January, Washington banned the import of cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang over allegations of forced labour.&nbsp;

Beijing denies the accusations and describes the camps as vocational training centers to combat religious extremism.&nbsp;

"Beijing has been trying for years to bully governments into silence but that strategy has failed miserably, as more and states step forward to voice horror and revulsion at China's crimes against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims," Human Rights Watch UN director Louis Charbonneau said on Friday.&nbsp;

China has urged United Nations member states not to attend an event planned next week by Germany, the United States and Britain on the repression of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang, according to a note seen by Reuters on Friday.

China has urged United Nations member states not to attend an event planned next week by Germany, the United States and Britain on the repression of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang, according to a note seen by Reuters on Friday. "It is a politically-motivated event," China's UN mission wrote in the note, dated Thursday. "We request your mission NOT to participate in this anti-China event." China charged that the organisers of the event, which also include several other European states along with Australia and Canada, use "human rights issues as a political tool to interfere in China's internal affairs like Xinjiang, to create division and turbulence and disrupt China's development." "They are obsessed with provoking confrontation with China," the note said, adding that "the provocative event can only lead to more confrontation." The Chinese mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The ambassadors of the United States, Germany and Britain are due to address the virtual UN event on Wednesday, along with Human Rights Watch Executive Director Ken Roth and Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard. The aim of the event is to "discuss how the UN system, member states and civil society can support and advocate for the human rights of members of ethnic Turkic communities in Xinjiang," according to an invitation. Western states and rights groups have accused authorities in Xinjiang of detaining and torturing Uyghurs in camps, which the United States has described as genocide. In January, Washington banned the import of cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang over allegations of forced labour. Beijing denies the accusations and describes the camps as vocational training centers to combat religious extremism. "Beijing has been trying for years to bully governments into silence but that strategy has failed miserably, as more and states step forward to voice horror and revulsion at China's crimes against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims," Human Rights Watch UN director Louis Charbonneau said on Friday.

China urges UN states not to attend Xinjiang event next week 

Chinese&nbsp;exports&nbsp;grew at a forecast-busting rate last month, data showed Friday, while&nbsp;imports&nbsp;surged at their strongest in a decade as the global economy bounces back from the pandemic crisis and domestic consumption recovers.

With vaccines being rolled out around the world - particularly in the key US market - and economically painful lockdowns being eased, demand for&nbsp;China's goods has picked up this year, having fallen off a cliff in 2020.

Shipments abroad soared 32.3 percent on-year in April - smashing the 24.1 per cent expected in a Bloomberg survey - thanks to a sharp rise in demand for electronics and medical masks.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="'Military knows all about biological warfare': Bolsonaro's swipe at China over COVID-19">'Military knows all about biological warfare': Bolsonaro's swipe at China over COVID-19</a>

The impressive figures are attributable to last year's very low base of comparison owing to the pandemic.

But they still show that the global recovery is underway, led by the United States where the economy is scorching along on the back of vast government spending and central bank largesse.

"The stimulus in developed economies, especially in the US, sustained their demand for Chinese manufactured products," Nomura chief&nbsp;China&nbsp;economist Lu Ting told AFP.

He added that the worsening Covid-19 outbreak in emerging markets including India also supported Chinese&nbsp;exports, in part because they then rely on&nbsp;China&nbsp;to supply protective gear.

At home, with the coronavirus largely brought under control,&nbsp;China's vast army of consumers are getting back to their daily lives after last year's travails, sending&nbsp;imports&nbsp;up 43.1 per cent, slightly below forecast but the&nbsp;best&nbsp;rise since early 2011.

The jump was also fired by a surge in commodity prices - iron ore is at a record and copper close to one - electronics and integrated circuits, which are then mostly turned around before being shipped abroad.

The strong figures will provide cheer to&nbsp;China's leaders who are looking to recalibrate the economy from state investment and&nbsp;exports-led&nbsp;growth&nbsp;to one more reliant on domestic consumer demand.

But Lu warned of the surging prices of imported commodities noting it "will both trigger higher inflation and depress domestic demand".

Rajiv Biswas, Asia Pacific chief economist at IHS Markit, added that factors such as rising container freight shipping costs, on&nbsp;top&nbsp;of global semiconductor shortages, had "added to&nbsp;China's&nbsp;import&nbsp;bill".

In April,&nbsp;China's trade surplus with the US - a key point of contention during their bruising trade war - rose 23 per cent to $28.1 billion.

Chinese exports grew at a forecast-busting rate last month, data showed Friday, while imports surged at their strongest in a decade as the global economy bounces back from the pandemic crisis and domestic consumption recovers.

Chinese exports grew at a forecast-busting rate last month, data showed Friday, while imports surged at their strongest in a decade as the global economy bounces back from the pandemic crisis and domestic consumption recovers. With vaccines being rolled out around the world - particularly in the key US market - and economically painful lockdowns being eased, demand for China's goods has picked up this year, having fallen off a cliff in 2020. Shipments abroad soared 32.3 percent on-year in April - smashing the 24.1 per cent expected in a Bloomberg survey - thanks to a sharp rise in demand for electronics and medical masks. Also read: 'Military knows all about biological warfare': Bolsonaro's swipe at China over COVID-19 The impressive figures are attributable to last year's very low base of comparison owing to the pandemic. But they still show that the global recovery is underway, led by the United States where the economy is scorching along on the back of vast government spending and central bank largesse. "The stimulus in developed economies, especially in the US, sustained their demand for Chinese manufactured products," Nomura chief China economist Lu Ting told AFP. He added that the worsening Covid-19 outbreak in emerging markets including India also supported Chinese exports, in part because they then rely on China to supply protective gear. At home, with the coronavirus largely brought under control, China's vast army of consumers are getting back to their daily lives after last year's travails, sending imports up 43.1 per cent, slightly below forecast but the best rise since early 2011. The jump was also fired by a surge in commodity prices - iron ore is at a record and copper close to one - electronics and integrated circuits, which are then mostly turned around before being shipped abroad. The strong figures will provide cheer to China's leaders who are looking to recalibrate the economy from state investment and exports-led growth to one more reliant on domestic consumer demand. But Lu warned of the surging prices of imported commodities noting it "will both trigger higher inflation and depress domestic demand". Rajiv Biswas, Asia Pacific chief economist at IHS Markit, added that factors such as rising container freight shipping costs, on top of global semiconductor shortages, had "added to China's import bill". In April, China's trade surplus with the US - a key point of contention during their bruising trade war - rose 23 per cent to $28.1 billion.

China's exports top forecasts, imports growth best in 10 years

According to reports, Sporting goods maker Adidas has launched the sale of its Reebok brand in an auction which risks being affected by a political row over possible forced labor in China's western Xinjiang region.

Reports: Adidas launches Reebok auction, China row may dent Asian interest

China&nbsp;criticised New Zealand Thursday over "groundless" allegations about the ill-treatment of Uyghurs, underlining Wellington's struggle to find a middle ground between its largest trading partner and its traditional Western allies.

Beijing expressed anger after New Zealand's parliament passed a watered-down motion Wednesday expressing "grave concern" at human rights abuses involving the Uyghur Muslim minority in&nbsp;China's Xinjiang province.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's ruling Labour Party insisted any reference to genocide was scrubbed out of the motion, which was submitted by a minor opposition party, but the move failed to appease&nbsp;China's embassy in Wellington.

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The embassy said in a statement that the New Zealand parliament was meddling in matters that concerned&nbsp;China's sovereignty.

This move grossly interferes in&nbsp;China's internal affairs and runs counter to international law and basic norms governing international relations," it said.&nbsp;

"The Chinese side deplores and firmly opposes such action."

The embassy said the motion would "harm the mutual trust between&nbsp;China&nbsp;and NZ".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-slams-chinas-treatment-of-uighurs-doesnt-label-it-genocide-382930">New Zealand slams China's treatment of Uighurs, doesn't label it 'genocide'</a>
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At least one million Uyghurs and people from other mostly Muslim minorities have been held in camps in Xinjiang, according to rights groups, who accuse authorities of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labour.

Ardern's centre-left government has been noticeably less vocal than its allies in condemning the abuses, leading to accusations it is a weak link in the US-led Five Eyes intelligence alliance that also includes the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Ardern this week conceded New Zealand's differences with&nbsp;China&nbsp;on human rights were becoming "harder to reconcile", but said her government would continue to point out areas of concern to Beijing.

However, allies such as Australia have been much blunter in their criticism, spurring punitive levies from Beijing on more than a dozen Australian imports, including wine and barley.

China&nbsp;on Thursday suspended regular bilateral trade talks with Australia, in a move Canberra described as "disappointing".

China criticised New Zealand Thursday over "groundless" allegations about the ill-treatment of Uyghurs, underlining Wellington's struggle to find a middle ground between its largest trading partner and its traditional Western allies.

China criticised New Zealand Thursday over "groundless" allegations about the ill-treatment of Uyghurs, underlining Wellington's struggle to find a middle ground between its largest trading partner and its traditional Western allies. Beijing expressed anger after New Zealand's parliament passed a watered-down motion Wednesday expressing "grave concern" at human rights abuses involving the Uyghur Muslim minority in China's Xinjiang province. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's ruling Labour Party insisted any reference to genocide was scrubbed out of the motion, which was submitted by a minor opposition party, but the move failed to appease China's embassy in Wellington. The embassy said in a statement that the New Zealand parliament was meddling in matters that concerned China's sovereignty. This move grossly interferes in China's internal affairs and runs counter to international law and basic norms governing international relations," it said. "The Chinese side deplores and firmly opposes such action." The embassy said the motion would "harm the mutual trust between China and NZ". Also read | New Zealand slams China's treatment of Uighurs, doesn't label it 'genocide' At least one million Uyghurs and people from other mostly Muslim minorities have been held in camps in Xinjiang, according to rights groups, who accuse authorities of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labour. Ardern's centre-left government has been noticeably less vocal than its allies in condemning the abuses, leading to accusations it is a weak link in the US-led Five Eyes intelligence alliance that also includes the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Ardern this week conceded New Zealand's differences with China on human rights were becoming "harder to reconcile", but said her government would continue to point out areas of concern to Beijing. However, allies such as Australia have been much blunter in their criticism, spurring punitive levies from Beijing on more than a dozen Australian imports, including wine and barley. China on Thursday suspended regular bilateral trade talks with Australia, in a move Canberra described as "disappointing".

China slams New Zealand over parliament motion on Uyghur Muslim abuse

China&nbsp;on Thursday said it "strongly&nbsp;condemns" a statement by the Group of Seven nations accusing Beijing of&nbsp;rights&nbsp;abuses in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, as a schism with Western democracies widens.

Foreign ministers from&nbsp;G7&nbsp;countries Britain, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan urged&nbsp;China&nbsp;to abide by its obligations under international and national law during their first face-to-face meeting in two years in London.

The group said they were "deeply concerned" by alleged&nbsp;human rights&nbsp;violations and abuses against the minority Uyghur Muslim population in&nbsp;China's western Xinjiang region and Tibet.

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They also urged an end to the targeting of&nbsp;rights&nbsp;protesters in Hong Kong.

Beijing was quick to hit back, railing against the&nbsp;G7&nbsp;for making "unfounded accusations against&nbsp;China&nbsp;and openly intervening in&nbsp;China's internal affairs", Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

He said the group was engaged in the "wanton destruction of the norms of international relations", repeating Beijing's long-held line that those issues were&nbsp;China's own matters.

The&nbsp;G7&nbsp;statement also said the group supports Taiwan's participation in World Health Organization forums and the World Health Assembly, which prompted&nbsp;China&nbsp;to retort that the island's participation must be handled in line with the one-China&nbsp;principle.

Wang added the&nbsp;G7&nbsp;should do more to boost global economic recovery rather than causing "contradictions and differences" in the international community.

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"We urge the relevant countries to face up to their own problems... and stop generalising on the concept of national security as well as other wrong practices," he said.

Beijing's latest rebuke comes as tensions with Western nations grow and international&nbsp;criticism&nbsp;mounts over issues including Xinjiang, where&nbsp;rights&nbsp;groups estimate at least one million Uyghurs and people from other mostly Muslim minorities have been held in camps.

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Authorities in the area are also said to have forcibly sterilised women and imposed forced labour.

The United States has since accused&nbsp;China&nbsp;of genocide and British MPs last month approved a symbolic parliamentary motion declaring that Uyghur Muslims in&nbsp;China&nbsp;were "suffering crimes against humanity and genocide".

But&nbsp;China&nbsp;has decried the&nbsp;criticism&nbsp;over Xinjiang as lies, claiming that testimonies in news reports have been made by "a few fake actors".

The country has since ramped up its propaganda, holding dozens of press briefings on the subject, while state-owned outlet CGTN released a four-part documentary series looking to justify the government's policies in the region.

Although the&nbsp;G7&nbsp;members reserved their strongest&nbsp;criticism&nbsp;for&nbsp;China, they also targeted Russia over "irresponsible and destablising behaviour" on the Ukrainian border where it has amassed troops.&nbsp;

The group also called on Iran to release foreign and duals nations from its jails.

But they held the door open to&nbsp;China&nbsp;for future cooperation.

The&nbsp;G7&nbsp;maintained they would look for ways to work with the world's second-largest economy "to promote regional and global peace, security and prosperity".

China on Thursday said it "strongly condemns" a statement by the Group of Seven nations accusing Beijing of rights abuses in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, as a schism with Western democracies widens.

China on Thursday said it "strongly condemns" a statement by the Group of Seven nations accusing Beijing of rights abuses in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, as a schism with Western democracies widens. Foreign ministers from G7 countries Britain, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan urged China to abide by its obligations under international and national law during their first face-to-face meeting in two years in London. The group said they were "deeply concerned" by alleged human rights violations and abuses against the minority Uyghur Muslim population in China's western Xinjiang region and Tibet. Also read | At G7, Biden will push allies to act on China's treatment of Uighurs: Report They also urged an end to the targeting of rights protesters in Hong Kong. Beijing was quick to hit back, railing against the G7 for making "unfounded accusations against China and openly intervening in China's internal affairs", Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said. He said the group was engaged in the "wanton destruction of the norms of international relations", repeating Beijing's long-held line that those issues were China's own matters. The G7 statement also said the group supports Taiwan's participation in World Health Organization forums and the World Health Assembly, which prompted China to retort that the island's participation must be handled in line with the one-China principle. Wang added the G7 should do more to boost global economic recovery rather than causing "contradictions and differences" in the international community. Also read | New Zealand slams China's treatment of Uighurs, doesn't label it 'genocide' "We urge the relevant countries to face up to their own problems... and stop generalising on the concept of national security as well as other wrong practices," he said. Beijing's latest rebuke comes as tensions with Western nations grow and international criticism mounts over issues including Xinjiang, where rights groups estimate at least one million Uyghurs and people from other mostly Muslim minorities have been held in camps. Authorities in the area are also said to have forcibly sterilised women and imposed forced labour. The United States has since accused China of genocide and British MPs last month approved a symbolic parliamentary motion declaring that Uyghur Muslims in China were "suffering crimes against humanity and genocide". But China has decried the criticism over Xinjiang as lies, claiming that testimonies in news reports have been made by "a few fake actors". The country has since ramped up its propaganda, holding dozens of press briefings on the subject, while state-owned outlet CGTN released a four-part documentary series looking to justify the government's policies in the region. Although the G7 members reserved their strongest criticism for China, they also targeted Russia over "irresponsible and destablising behaviour" on the Ukrainian border where it has amassed troops. The group also called on Iran to release foreign and duals nations from its jails. But they held the door open to China for future cooperation. The G7 maintained they would look for ways to work with the world's second-largest economy "to promote regional and global peace, security and prosperity".

Persecution of Uyghur Muslims: China hits back at G7 rights criticism

The New Zealand parliament declared "severe human rights abuses" were taking place in China, but stopped short of labelling the situation as a "genocide".

China's treatment of the Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province has been unanimously voted as a severe human rights abuse on Wednesday in New Zealand parliament.

The Parliament shied away from terming the act as a genocide, put forward by the opposition.

All parties discussed and supported a motion by the smaller ACT Party but only after it was watered down to drop the word "genocide" from the text.

In parliament, ACT's deputy leader, Brooke van Velden, said she had to insert the phrase "severe human rights abuses" instead, to secure the approval of the ruling Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

"Our conscience demands that if we believe there is a genocide, we should say so," Van Velden added.

The Chinese embassy in Wellington did not immediately respond to telephone calls to seek comment.

Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta defended the government's decision not to use the term, saying it had raised concerns several times with China but had not formally designated the situation as constituting a genocide.

"This is not due to a lack of concern," added Mahuta. "Genocide is the gravest of international crimes and a formal legal determination should only be reached following a rigorous assessment based on international law."

She added that New Zealand in concert with other governments would keep up its calls for China to provide meaningful and unfettered access to the United Nations and other independent observers to ascertain the situation.

Nations such as the United States and Canada have declared China’s actions in far western Xinjiang as genocide, but Australia's parliament stopped short of a similar move this year.

(With inputs from agencies)

The New Zealand parliament declared "severe human rights abuses" were taking place in China, but stopped short of labelling the situation as a "genocide". China's treatment of the Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province has been unanimously voted as a severe human rights abuse on Wednesday in New Zealand parliament.

The New Zealand parliament declared "severe human rights abuses" were taking place in China, but stopped short of labelling the situation as a "genocide". China's treatment of the Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province has been unanimously voted as a severe human rights abuse on Wednesday in New Zealand parliament. The Parliament shied away from terming the act as a genocide, put forward by the opposition. All parties discussed and supported a motion by the smaller ACT Party but only after it was watered down to drop the word "genocide" from the text. In parliament, ACT's deputy leader, Brooke van Velden, said she had to insert the phrase "severe human rights abuses" instead, to secure the approval of the ruling Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. "Our conscience demands that if we believe there is a genocide, we should say so," Van Velden added. The Chinese embassy in Wellington did not immediately respond to telephone calls to seek comment. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta defended the government's decision not to use the term, saying it had raised concerns several times with China but had not formally designated the situation as constituting a genocide. "This is not due to a lack of concern," added Mahuta. "Genocide is the gravest of international crimes and a formal legal determination should only be reached following a rigorous assessment based on international law." She added that New Zealand in concert with other governments would keep up its calls for China to provide meaningful and unfettered access to the United Nations and other independent observers to ascertain the situation. Nations such as the United States and Canada have declared China’s actions in far western Xinjiang as genocide, but Australia's parliament stopped short of a similar move this year. (With inputs from agencies)

New Zealand slams China's treatment of Uighurs, doesn't label it 'genocide'

Some 40% of solar farms in Britain, including those used in projects commissioned by government departments such as defence and coal, use panels from firms linked to forced labour camps in China's Xinjiang, a UK paper has reported.

Workers from the Uyghur minority in the region have reportedly been subjected to exploitative and abusive living and working conditions that may constitute arbitrary detention, human trafficking, forced labour and enslavement by the use of forced labour.

Findings gathered by a UN working group on Business and Human Rights had stated that "hundreds of thousands of members of the Uyghur minority have been held in 're-education' facilities" and that "many have also reportedly been forcibly transferred to work in factories in the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region and other Chinese provinces".

According to a new report from The Guardian, which named Jinko Solar, JA Solar and Trina Solar as firms benefiting from forced labour in the Chinese region.&nbsp;Those firms are some of the biggest manufacturers of solar panels in the world, but recent research shows that they could be leveraging forced labour from the more than one million men and women from the Muslim Uyghur community that have been interned in camps in the Xinjiang region.&nbsp;

As per The Guardian's report, confidential industry data suggests that up to 40% of the UK’s solar farms were built using panels manufactured by China’s biggest solar panel companies, including Jinko Solar, JA Solar and Trina Solar.

These firms have been named in a recent report on the internment of more than 1 million men and women from the Muslim Uyghur community, in what UK MPs on Thursday voted to describe as genocide.

(With inputs from agencies)

Some 40% of solar farms in Britain, including those used in projects commissioned by government departments such as defence and coal, use panels from firms linked to forced labour camps in China's Xinjiang, a UK paper has reported.

Some 40% of solar farms in Britain, including those used in projects commissioned by government departments such as defence and coal, use panels from firms linked to forced labour camps in China's Xinjiang, a UK paper has reported. Workers from the Uyghur minority in the region have reportedly been subjected to exploitative and abusive living and working conditions that may constitute arbitrary detention, human trafficking, forced labour and enslavement by the use of forced labour. Findings gathered by a UN working group on Business and Human Rights had stated that "hundreds of thousands of members of the Uyghur minority have been held in 're-education' facilities" and that "many have also reportedly been forcibly transferred to work in factories in the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region and other Chinese provinces". According to a new report from The Guardian, which named Jinko Solar, JA Solar and Trina Solar as firms benefiting from forced labour in the Chinese region. Those firms are some of the biggest manufacturers of solar panels in the world, but recent research shows that they could be leveraging forced labour from the more than one million men and women from the Muslim Uyghur community that have been interned in camps in the Xinjiang region. As per The Guardian's report, confidential industry data suggests that up to 40% of the UK’s solar farms were built using panels manufactured by China’s biggest solar panel companies, including Jinko Solar, JA Solar and Trina Solar. These firms have been named in a recent report on the internment of more than 1 million men and women from the Muslim Uyghur community, in what UK MPs on Thursday voted to describe as genocide. (With inputs from agencies)

'40% of UK solar farms use panels from firms linked to Xinjiang forced labour camps'

Britain's parliament called for the government to take action to end what lawmakers described as genocide in China's Xinjiang region. Lawmakers have also called the UK government to use international law to bring the genocide to an end.

UK parliament declares genocide in China's Xinjiang

Human Rights Watch has said in a new report that China is committing crimes against humanity in its treatment of the Uighur ethnic minority and other Turkic Muslims in the northwest region of Xinjiang, with Beijing responsible for “policies of mass detention, torture, and cultural persecution, among other offences”.

“Since at least 2014, the Chinese government has subjected Turkic Muslims to various crimes against humanity, including mass arbitrary detention, torture and deaths in detention, and enforced disappearances,” said Human Rights Watch and the Stanford Law School Human Rights &amp; Conflict Resolution Clinic. 
 
Gravitas: Which global brands are using Uighur Labour?

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The report, titled 'Break Their Lineage, Break Their Roots' documented a range of abuses including enforced disappearance; torture; murder; and alleged inhumane acts intentionally causing great suffering or serious injury to mental or physical health, notably forced labour and sexual violence.

There were reports of rape being used repeatedly as punishment and torture by authorities, including the use of electric batons. There are disturbing reports of sexual violence against Turkic Muslim women in detention.

According to the report, "The Chinese government’s oppression of Turkic Muslims is not a new phenomenon, but in recent years has reached unprecedented levels. As many as a million people have been arbitrarily detained in 300 to 400 facilities, which include “political education” camps, pretrial detention centres, and prisons. Courts have handed down harsh prison sentences without due process, sentencing Turkic Muslims to years in prison merely for sending an Islamic religious recording to a family member or downloading e-books in Uyghur. Detainees and prisoners are subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, cultural and political indoctrination, and forced labour."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Human Rights Watch has said in a new report that China is committing crimes against humanity in its treatment of the Uighur ethnic minority and other Turkic Muslims in the northwest region of Xinjiang, with Beijing responsible for “policies of mass detention, torture, and cultural persecution, among other offences”.

Human Rights Watch has said in a new report that China is committing crimes against humanity in its treatment of the Uighur ethnic minority and other Turkic Muslims in the northwest region of Xinjiang, with Beijing responsible for “policies of mass detention, torture, and cultural persecution, among other offences”. “Since at least 2014, the Chinese government has subjected Turkic Muslims to various crimes against humanity, including mass arbitrary detention, torture and deaths in detention, and enforced disappearances,” said Human Rights Watch and the Stanford Law School Human Rights & Conflict Resolution Clinic. Gravitas: Which global brands are using Uighur Labour? The report, titled 'Break Their Lineage, Break Their Roots' documented a range of abuses including enforced disappearance; torture; murder; and alleged inhumane acts intentionally causing great suffering or serious injury to mental or physical health, notably forced labour and sexual violence. There were reports of rape being used repeatedly as punishment and torture by authorities, including the use of electric batons. There are disturbing reports of sexual violence against Turkic Muslim women in detention. According to the report, "The Chinese government’s oppression of Turkic Muslims is not a new phenomenon, but in recent years has reached unprecedented levels. As many as a million people have been arbitrarily detained in 300 to 400 facilities, which include “political education” camps, pretrial detention centres, and prisons. Courts have handed down harsh prison sentences without due process, sentencing Turkic Muslims to years in prison merely for sending an Islamic religious recording to a family member or downloading e-books in Uyghur. Detainees and prisoners are subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, cultural and political indoctrination, and forced labour." (With inputs from agencies)

'Break their lineage, break their roots': Report details Chinese authorities’ torture, rape of Uighur Muslims

What China has unleashed in Xinjiang has all the makings of a 21st-century holocaust. China has unleashed a war on Uighur culture. At least 1 million people are in detention. But if you ask China, the world has got it all wrong. China claims to be running 're-education camps', not labour camps. China's methods are brutal. They involve illegal detention, forced labour, torture, state-sponsored rape and even medical experiments.

Every time the world moves against Beijing, it unleashes a propaganda drive. This time, the target is the United States of America.&nbsp;

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Two videos featuring disgraced American officials have been published. The officials are Lawrence Wilkerson (former aide to US Secretary of State Colin Powell) and Sibel Edmonds (A former FBI translator).

In the video, both of them appear to say that Xinjiang is America's best bet to destabilise China. Now. Beijing is accusing Washington of funding terrorists in Xinjiang.

As usual, context is missing from China's claim.

Lawrence Wilkerson's speech is from 2018. This is a man who helped sell the Iraq war to George Bush. But after all the death and destruction, he retracted his support.

Sibel Edmonds' speech is from 2015, and 13 years after she was fired from the FBI. As per records, Ms Edmonds lasted 6 months in the organisation.&nbsp;She is a known conspiracy theorist.

These two are China's top sources. Conspiracy theorists and disgraced military officers. Both Edmonds and Wilkerson said that the US could possibly leverage Xinjiang.

Possibly, they did not admit to any such US operation. In fact, looking back at American actions, overreach has not been the issue. Our complaint is the lack of concrete measures.

Today, America loves to call itself the defender of Uighurs.

But that wasn't always the case. In the 2000s the US was an active accomplice. They detained 22 Uighur Muslims in Guantanamo Bay.

So the Uighurs aren't just victims of China's war on terror. They also suffered under America's war.

Then came the presidency of Barack Obama.&nbsp;Would the multi-cultural president stand up for China's diversity?&nbsp;As it turned out, he chose the policy of silence. Obama did not raise the Uighur genocide during his visit to China. Back then no one knew where the relationship was headed. So Obama decided to not rock the boat.

Like it or not, it was Donald Trump who put the spotlight on Uighurs. Not out of love for the community. But because it was a convenient issue to tackle Beijing on.

Nonetheless, it worked. In 2020, Trump signed the Uighur Human Rights Policy Act.

What did it say?&nbsp;All US government bodies would have to report on Communist abuses in Xinjiang. These reports would define American sanctions in the future.

Another law is in the pipeline:&nbsp;The Uighur Forced Labour Prevention Act. The House of Representatives has already cleared it. It is now up to the Senate to send it to Joe Biden.

This law would keep American firms away from the forced labour camps in Xinjiang. But Trump's biggest move was declaring the Uighur crackdown a genocide.

This was an indictment of the Chinese state. The Communist regime was placed on the same level as Nazi Germany.

The problem is, Trump's actions were punctuated by flip-flops. There were reports that privately he supported President Xi's crackdown.

And this is American policy in a nutshell. The right goals for the wrong reasons.

Last month, American and Chinese officials met in Alaska. It was more like a classroom squabble than a diplomatic meeting. China kept calling Xinjiang a domestic issue.

However, genocide cannot be a domestic matter. It appears that in near future, we could be looking at more of what happened in Alaska. Diplomatic meetings that descend into chaos.

Talks are successful, when there is a basic understanding between the two sides. But China does not understand the concept of human rights. It is a headstrong bully living in a world of denial.

What China has unleashed in Xinjiang has all the makings of a 21st-century holocaust. China has unleashed a war on Uighur culture. At least 1 million people are in detention.

What China has unleashed in Xinjiang has all the makings of a 21st-century holocaust. China has unleashed a war on Uighur culture. At least 1 million people are in detention. But if you ask China, the world has got it all wrong. China claims to be running 're-education camps', not labour camps. China's methods are brutal. They involve illegal detention, forced labour, torture, state-sponsored rape and even medical experiments. Every time the world moves against Beijing, it unleashes a propaganda drive. This time, the target is the United States of America. Two videos featuring disgraced American officials have been published. The officials are Lawrence Wilkerson (former aide to US Secretary of State Colin Powell) and Sibel Edmonds (A former FBI translator). In the video, both of them appear to say that Xinjiang is America's best bet to destabilise China. Now. Beijing is accusing Washington of funding terrorists in Xinjiang. As usual, context is missing from China's claim. Lawrence Wilkerson's speech is from 2018. This is a man who helped sell the Iraq war to George Bush. But after all the death and destruction, he retracted his support. Sibel Edmonds' speech is from 2015, and 13 years after she was fired from the FBI. As per records, Ms Edmonds lasted 6 months in the organisation. She is a known conspiracy theorist. These two are China's top sources. Conspiracy theorists and disgraced military officers. Both Edmonds and Wilkerson said that the US could possibly leverage Xinjiang. Possibly, they did not admit to any such US operation. In fact, looking back at American actions, overreach has not been the issue. Our complaint is the lack of concrete measures. Today, America loves to call itself the defender of Uighurs. But that wasn't always the case. In the 2000s the US was an active accomplice. They detained 22 Uighur Muslims in Guantanamo Bay. So the Uighurs aren't just victims of China's war on terror. They also suffered under America's war. Then came the presidency of Barack Obama. Would the multi-cultural president stand up for China's diversity? As it turned out, he chose the policy of silence. Obama did not raise the Uighur genocide during his visit to China. Back then no one knew where the relationship was headed. So Obama decided to not rock the boat. Like it or not, it was Donald Trump who put the spotlight on Uighurs. Not out of love for the community. But because it was a convenient issue to tackle Beijing on. Nonetheless, it worked. In 2020, Trump signed the Uighur Human Rights Policy Act. What did it say? All US government bodies would have to report on Communist abuses in Xinjiang. These reports would define American sanctions in the future. Another law is in the pipeline: The Uighur Forced Labour Prevention Act. The House of Representatives has already cleared it. It is now up to the Senate to send it to Joe Biden. This law would keep American firms away from the forced labour camps in Xinjiang. But Trump's biggest move was declaring the Uighur crackdown a genocide. This was an indictment of the Chinese state. The Communist regime was placed on the same level as Nazi Germany. The problem is, Trump's actions were punctuated by flip-flops. There were reports that privately he supported President Xi's crackdown. And this is American policy in a nutshell. The right goals for the wrong reasons. Last month, American and Chinese officials met in Alaska. It was more like a classroom squabble than a diplomatic meeting. China kept calling Xinjiang a domestic issue. However, genocide cannot be a domestic matter. It appears that in near future, we could be looking at more of what happened in Alaska. Diplomatic meetings that descend into chaos. Talks are successful, when there is a basic understanding between the two sides. But China does not understand the concept of human rights. It is a headstrong bully living in a world of denial.

In new propaganda, China claims US is funding terrorism in Xinjiang

Chinese diplomats used old videos of disgraced US officials to accuse Washington of funding terrorists in Xinjiang. What is the truth behind this propaganda, and what role has the US played in tackling the Uighur crackdown? WION's Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: China accuses US of funding terror in Xinjiang

The US House of Representatives introduced a bipartisan resolution on Wednesday, strongly condemning China’s ill-treatment of the Uighur community and other minorities, especially in the Xinjiang region.

Labelling it as 'genocide', the authorities have urged US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> to refer these atrocities to the United Nations.

"The resolution calls upon President Biden to refer these atrocities to the United Nations for investigation under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide," the US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks and another member Michael McCaul said in a joint press release.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-slaps-sanctions-on-russia-expels-10-diplomats-377760" hreflang="en">US slaps sanctions on Russia over election interference, expels 10 diplomats</a>

Through this, the experts are seeking multilateral sanctions against the Chinese government in the UN Security Council (UNSC) to "bring the genocide to an end".

Meeks urged global solidarity against the ill treatment. "China's human rights violations against the Uighur community in Xinjiang are beyond the pale. The international community needs to stand together and condemn the horrific treatment of China's ethnic minorities, who have undergone mass detention and seen their way of life threatened," he said.

This has come a day after the Uighur Human Rights Protection Act&nbsp;was introduced by US Senators Marco Rubio and Chris Coons. Through this, people suffering in the region at the hands of the Chinese government would become eligible for US refugee status on a priority basis.

"The Uighur Human Rights Protection Act would make it easier for Uighurs and members of other Turkic or Muslim minority groups to apply for resettlement in the United States, and it encourages our allies and partners to implement similar policies," Coons had announced.

The US House of Representatives introduced a bipartisan resolution on Wednesday, strongly condemning China’s ill-treatment of the Uighur community and other minorities, especially in the Xinjiang region.

The US House of Representatives introduced a bipartisan resolution on Wednesday, strongly condemning China’s ill-treatment of the Uighur community and other minorities, especially in the Xinjiang region. Labelling it as 'genocide', the authorities have urged US President Joe Biden to refer these atrocities to the United Nations. "The resolution calls upon President Biden to refer these atrocities to the United Nations for investigation under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide," the US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks and another member Michael McCaul said in a joint press release. Also read | US slaps sanctions on Russia over election interference, expels 10 diplomats Through this, the experts are seeking multilateral sanctions against the Chinese government in the UN Security Council (UNSC) to "bring the genocide to an end". Meeks urged global solidarity against the ill treatment. "China's human rights violations against the Uighur community in Xinjiang are beyond the pale. The international community needs to stand together and condemn the horrific treatment of China's ethnic minorities, who have undergone mass detention and seen their way of life threatened," he said. This has come a day after the Uighur Human Rights Protection Act was introduced by US Senators Marco Rubio and Chris Coons. Through this, people suffering in the region at the hands of the Chinese government would become eligible for US refugee status on a priority basis. "The Uighur Human Rights Protection Act would make it easier for Uighurs and members of other Turkic or Muslim minority groups to apply for resettlement in the United States, and it encourages our allies and partners to implement similar policies," Coons had announced.

US House urges Biden to refer Uighur 'genocide' to United Nations

Thirteen people who describe themselves as "victims of forced confessions broadcast on&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;television" are urging European satellite operator Eutelsat to reconsider carrying&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;channels CGTN and CCTV4.

The letter published by human rights watchdog Safeguard Defenders details a list of violations that the signatories say China is guilty of using to extort confessions from them and "refuse the right to a fair trial".

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/news-alert-eu-foreign-policy-chief-borrell-slams-china-russia-376898/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We are asking you... to determine whether television providers in democratic societies ought to continue to be morally complicit in the broadcast of information that is intentionally twisted and obtained through torture," the group said.&nbsp;

"We are only a dozen victims able to speak out.... Many other victims are in prison. A few have been executed.

"The victims have no way of demanding reparations. The only way to stop this is for television regulators to investigate and take measures," the group added.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-takes-aim-at-overseas-uighurs-academics-criticising-communist-party-376299">China takes aim at overseas Uighurs, academics criticising Communist Party</a>

The letter notes Australian public broadcaster SBS stopped using content from&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;state-run television in March pending a review of human rights concerns.

The UK also fined CGTN for partiality and violation of privacy and removed it from the airwaves, a ban that pushed the channel to set up shop in France.&nbsp;

French audiovisual regulator CSA determined in March that CGTN met the technical criteria necessary for broadcasting but just this week Safeguard Defenders submitted two complaints against the channel.&nbsp;

One cited an allegedly coerced interview with a Uyghur child and the other was a defamation complaint from German researcher Adrian Zenz, whose reports on the treatment of Uyghurs in China's western Xinjiang region have drawn rebukes from Beijing.

The signatories are from China and other countries, including&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;human rights lawyers Bao Longjun and Jiang Tianyong who have been targeted by authorities in their country.&nbsp;

Simon Cheng, a former British consulate staffer in Hong Kong, who was granted asylum in the UK after allegedly being tortured by&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;secret police also signed the letter.&nbsp;

Also giving support is Swedish activist and Safeguard Defenders co-founder Peter Dahlin, who spent three weeks in jail in 2016 before being expelled from the country as a national security threat.

Angela Gui, daughter of Gui Minhai who published in Hong Kong until he was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2020, signed on behalf of her father.

Thirteen people who describe themselves as "victims of forced confessions broadcast on Chinese television" are urging European satellite operator Eutelsat to reconsider carrying Chinese channels CGTN and CCTV4.

Thirteen people who describe themselves as "victims of forced confessions broadcast on Chinese television" are urging European satellite operator Eutelsat to reconsider carrying Chinese channels CGTN and CCTV4. The letter published by human rights watchdog Safeguard Defenders details a list of violations that the signatories say China is guilty of using to extort confessions from them and "refuse the right to a fair trial". "We are asking you... to determine whether television providers in democratic societies ought to continue to be morally complicit in the broadcast of information that is intentionally twisted and obtained through torture," the group said. "We are only a dozen victims able to speak out.... Many other victims are in prison. A few have been executed. "The victims have no way of demanding reparations. The only way to stop this is for television regulators to investigate and take measures," the group added. Also read: China takes aim at overseas Uighurs, academics criticising Communist Party The letter notes Australian public broadcaster SBS stopped using content from Chinese state-run television in March pending a review of human rights concerns. The UK also fined CGTN for partiality and violation of privacy and removed it from the airwaves, a ban that pushed the channel to set up shop in France. French audiovisual regulator CSA determined in March that CGTN met the technical criteria necessary for broadcasting but just this week Safeguard Defenders submitted two complaints against the channel. One cited an allegedly coerced interview with a Uyghur child and the other was a defamation complaint from German researcher Adrian Zenz, whose reports on the treatment of Uyghurs in China's western Xinjiang region have drawn rebukes from Beijing. The signatories are from China and other countries, including Chinese human rights lawyers Bao Longjun and Jiang Tianyong who have been targeted by authorities in their country. Simon Cheng, a former British consulate staffer in Hong Kong, who was granted asylum in the UK after allegedly being tortured by Chinese secret police also signed the letter. Also giving support is Swedish activist and Safeguard Defenders co-founder Peter Dahlin, who spent three weeks in jail in 2016 before being expelled from the country as a national security threat. Angela Gui, daughter of Gui Minhai who published in Hong Kong until he was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2020, signed on behalf of her father.

Victims of 'forced confessions' request ban on Chinese TV channels

Fuelling the worsening relationship between the US and China, the US Senate’s new policy will have a “profound effect” on the Chinese entities.

The Strategic Competition Act of 2021, a 283-page bill, will be introduced next week and aims to provide help for American companies to diversify their global supply chain.

“This includes in terms of developing new technologies, global investment strategies, selling into US-allied countries, receiving support from the Chinese government, and how the country's technology market interacts and influences global governance and standards-setting,” said Cameron Johnson, an adjunct faculty instructor at New York University and a partner at Shanghai-based Tidal Wave Solutions told South China Morning Post.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/son-of-a-donald-trump-slams-republican-leaders-during-dinner-at-mar-a-lago-club-376769" hreflang="en">'Son of a...': Donald Trump slams Republican leaders during dinner</a>

The bill’s science and technology section will lay out pointers to provide help for US-based companies in diversifying global supply chain; total or partial acquisition of infrastructure like 5G mobile networks and undersea cables; negotiations for bilateral and plurilateral digital trade agreements; and building up cybersecurity capabilities.

More importantly, the bill is set to call sanctions against Chinese officials who are accused of “forced labour, forced sterilisation and other abuses in Xinjiang”. The region has had numerous reports of human rights violations as the United Nations has also reported that more than one million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities are being subjected to torture.

The bill will also set aside nearly $10 million “to promote democracy in Hong Kong”. The US State Department will also be asked to make a report on “the extent to which the Government of China uses the status of Hong Kong to circumvent the laws and protections of the United States”.

It "focuses on countering and confronting China's predatory international economic behaviour, and includes measures to track intellectual property violators, Chinese government subsidies, monitor Chinese use of Hong Kong to circumvent US export controls, and track the presence of Chinese companies in US capital markets. Directs the United States to provide technical assistance to countries working to counter foreign corrupt practices, and debt relief to the poorest countries who have requested forbearance due to the Covid-19 pandemic," a statement by the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations read.

The bill also calls for strengthening military ties with the country’s allies in the Indo-Pacific region.

It "calls for enhanced coordination and cooperation with allies on arms control in the face of China's military modernization and expansion, and requires reporting on Chinese ballistic, hypersonic glide, and cruise missiles, conventional forces, nuclear, space, cyberspace and other strategic domains."

(With inputs from agencies)

Fuelling the worsening relationship between the US and China, the US Senate’s new policy will have a “profound effect” on the Chinese entities. The Strategic Competition Act of 2021, a 283-page bill, will be introduced next week and aims to provide help for American companies to diversify their global supply chain.

Fuelling the worsening relationship between the US and China, the US Senate’s new policy will have a “profound effect” on the Chinese entities. The Strategic Competition Act of 2021, a 283-page bill, will be introduced next week and aims to provide help for American companies to diversify their global supply chain. “This includes in terms of developing new technologies, global investment strategies, selling into US-allied countries, receiving support from the Chinese government, and how the country's technology market interacts and influences global governance and standards-setting,” said Cameron Johnson, an adjunct faculty instructor at New York University and a partner at Shanghai-based Tidal Wave Solutions told South China Morning Post. Also read | 'Son of a...': Donald Trump slams Republican leaders during dinner The bill’s science and technology section will lay out pointers to provide help for US-based companies in diversifying global supply chain; total or partial acquisition of infrastructure like 5G mobile networks and undersea cables; negotiations for bilateral and plurilateral digital trade agreements; and building up cybersecurity capabilities. More importantly, the bill is set to call sanctions against Chinese officials who are accused of “forced labour, forced sterilisation and other abuses in Xinjiang”. The region has had numerous reports of human rights violations as the United Nations has also reported that more than one million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities are being subjected to torture. The bill will also set aside nearly $10 million “to promote democracy in Hong Kong”. The US State Department will also be asked to make a report on “the extent to which the Government of China uses the status of Hong Kong to circumvent the laws and protections of the United States”. It "focuses on countering and confronting China's predatory international economic behaviour, and includes measures to track intellectual property violators, Chinese government subsidies, monitor Chinese use of Hong Kong to circumvent US export controls, and track the presence of Chinese companies in US capital markets. Directs the United States to provide technical assistance to countries working to counter foreign corrupt practices, and debt relief to the poorest countries who have requested forbearance due to the Covid-19 pandemic," a statement by the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations read. The bill also calls for strengthening military ties with the country’s allies in the Indo-Pacific region. It "calls for enhanced coordination and cooperation with allies on arms control in the face of China's military modernization and expansion, and requires reporting on Chinese ballistic, hypersonic glide, and cruise missiles, conventional forces, nuclear, space, cyberspace and other strategic domains." (With inputs from agencies)

US increases pressure on China through new strategic competition policy

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