US sanctions more Chinese officials for ‘genocide and crimes against humanity’ in Xinjiang

State Department announcement caps week of sharp rebukes over Beijing’s alleged human-rights abuses and support for Russia against Ukraine

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People await the arrival of the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, in New York City on June 23, 2024, as he prepares to undergo knee surgery. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:51am, 13 Jul 2024Updated: 5:40am, 13 Jul 2024

US President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday said it would impose sanctions on more Chinese officials for an “ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity”, capping off a week of sharp rebukes over Beijing’s alleged human-rights abuses and support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The US State Department announced it was “taking steps to impose visa restrictions on People’s Republic of China (PRC) officials for their involvement in repression of marginalised religious and ethnic communities”.

“The PRC has not lived up to its commitments to respect and protect human rights, as demonstrated by the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, the erosion of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, persistent human-rights abuses in Tibet, and transnational repression around the world,” it said.

In March, the State Department criticised Hong Kong for its passage of a new domestic national security law, claiming vague language in its provisions created uncertainty for some of the city’s residents.

At the time, the State Department said it was “analysing” the law to understand what risks were involved for American citizens.