U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted in a report released on Monday that Beijing persists in perpetrating genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in its western Xinjiang province. The report, part of the State Department's annual human rights assessment covering abuses worldwide from the previous calendar year, reiterated concerns about the treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang, setting the stage for sensitive discussions during Blinken's planned visit to China. These discussions are expected to cover various topics, including the conflict in Ukraine and global trade, and the report's focus on human rights adds to the complexities of the diplomatic dialogue. 

In a preface to the report, Blinken emphasised that it "documents ongoing grave human rights abuses in the People's Republic of China (PRC)." He highlighted the atrocities, stating, "For example, in Xinjiang, the PRC continues to carry out genocide, crimes against humanity, forced labour, and other human rights violations against predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups." The section dedicated to China in Monday's report elaborates on the detention of over a million individuals in camps and prisons, as well as the utilisation of re-education camps in Xinjiang, among various other abuses perpetrated against the broader Chinese population. 

China has vehemently denied allegations of abuses in Xinjiang, asserting that it has established "vocational training centres" to combat terrorism, separatism, and religious radicalism. Blinken, upon assuming office in 2021, endorsed a determination made by his predecessor that China's actions in Xinjiang constitute genocide, and he has consistently raised the issue in meetings with Chinese officials. While the annual human rights report has consistently echoed this position, stating that the genocide is ongoing, discussions specifically addressing Xinjiang have not always been a central focus in direct contact between U.S. and Chinese officials in recent years. 

During a briefing on Friday regarding Blinken's upcoming trip, a senior State Department official informed reporters that human rights would be one of the topics broached by Blinken in discussions with Chinese officials. However, notably absent from the briefing was a specific mention of the situation in Xinjiang. 

Image Source: The Korea Times