World Uyghur Congress calls on US Secretary of State to address Uyghur genocide on eve of US-China meeting

“I’m deeply grateful that Secretary Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan will directly raise China’s ongoing Uyghur genocide with high level Chinese officials during their first meeting, in Alaska. The Biden Administration’s strong position on holding China accountable for committing both genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and Turkic people in East Turkistan give us great hope and assurance,’’ said WUC President, Dolkun Isa.

The US Government has played a crucial role in addressing the Chinese government’s crimes against the Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples.

The actions taken by the former and current Administrations, including the adoption of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, the recent Withhold Release Order (WRO) on cotton products from East Turkistan, and the ongoing efforts to pass the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act are deeply appreciated by the Uyghur community and sets a great example for the international community, WUC said.

Moreover, the U.S. government’s’ official designation of China’s crimes against Uyghurs as  “genocide” by former State Secretary Mike Pompeo, and taken over by the Biden Administration – as most recently reiterated at the United Nations Human Rights Council – has been nothing less than a landmark in the international recognition of the Uyghur genocide.

It is in this light that today’s meeting between U.S. and Chinese diplomats is an important opportunity for the United States to further raise the Uyghur genocide.

Next to the Biden Administration’s persistently strong position on China’s egregious human rights violations, the WUC welcomed Secretary of State Blinken’s remarks last week that during today’s meeting, the US will continue to actively speak out against these violations.