The United States announces new sanctions against China “to suppress ethnic and religious minorities.”

On the eve of Joe Biden’s trip to Europe, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced a new series of sanctions against Chinese leaders to suppress ethnic and religious minorities, both inside and outside the country. In a State Department memo the recipient of the measures was not indicated, but Blinken reiterated his request to Beijing “to put an end to genocide and crimes against humanity” in Xinjiang. Washington has so far failed to persuade Beijing to take a stand against Moscow in the war in Ukraine.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announce Sanctions will be applied to Chinese officials “who are believed to be responsible or complicit in policies or actions aimed at repressing religious and spiritual practitioners, members of ethnic minorities, dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists, trade unionists, civil society organizers and peaceful protesters in China and abroad.”

Move added to Visa restrictions It was originally imposed by the administration of former US President Donald Trump to China’s treatment of Uighur Muslims in western Xinjiang. but also to crack down on pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong and freedom advocates in Tibet.