China's Xinjiang Region: How Should the International Community Respond?

April 27, 2022 | The United States and other democratic governments, as well as human rights organizations, have condemned China's repression of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other non-Han peoples in its nominally autonomous Xinjiang region through arbitrary detentions, mass internment, digital surveillance, religious restrictions, and forced labor. Some countries, including the United States, have imposed sanctions on firms and individuals, banned many imports from Xinjiang, and engaged in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics. China strongly rejects the charge of genocide, denies that rights abuses are ongoing, and casts its Xinjiang policies as matters of national security, as well as economic and social development. The International Criminal Court determined in 2020 that it did not have jurisdiction, but, on the other hand, a U.K.-based, non-governmental tribunal found in December 2021 that Xinjiang policies do amount to genocide. Meanwhile, a change in Xinjiang's top party official may signal a shift of emphasis to economic development in the region, if not a return to “normal.” Given that Beijing does not seem to be moderating its repression in response to mounting international pressure, what should the international community do now with regard to Xinjiang? This event brought together experts to address this pressing challenge.