Uyghur bill ‘a firm step’ to defend China’s Muslims – Lawmakers

The United States lawmakers on Tuesday said legislation targeting Chinese officials over treatment of the country’s Uighur Muslim minority sent a “clear message” of support from Washington, seeking to prod the Trump administration to push Beijing on human rights. “Over the years, there has been a real commitment to shine a bright light on human […]

The United States lawmakers on Tuesday said legislation targeting Chinese officials over treatment of the country’s Uighur Muslim minority sent a “clear message” of support from Washington, seeking to prod the Trump administration to push Beijing on human rights.

“Over the years, there has been a real commitment to shine a bright light on human rights in China and to say to those who are affected by that, ‘you are not alone,’” House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said at a signing ceremony for the legislation.

The Democratic-led House and Republican-controlled Senate passed legislation nearly unanimously calling for sanctions against those responsible for repression in China’s Xinjiang province, after U.N. estimates that over 1 million Muslims have been detained.

The bill singles out the region’s Communist Party secretary, Chen Quanguo, a member of China’s ruling Politburo, as responsible for “gross human rights violations” against Muslims.

“This is a genocide. More than a million people are in concentration camps. Millions more are harassed every day,” said Republican Representative, Chris Smith, a lead supporter of the legislation.China denies mistreatment.

Sending the bill to the White House starts a 10-day clock, minus Sundays, for Trump to sign the bill into law or veto it. Otherwise, it becomes law without his signature. (Reuters)