China took action against a United States research company and two analysts who extensively reported on alleged human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced late Tuesday that Los Angeles-based research firm Kharon, its director of investigations, Edmund Xu, and Nicole Morgret, a human rights analyst associated with the Center for Advanced Defense Studies, are banned from traveling to China. Their assets in China will be frozen, and any transactions or cooperation with them are prohibited.
Mao stated on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that these sanctions were in retaliation for a U.S. government report on human rights in Xinjiang.
The Uyghurs and other natives have historical and cultural ties to Central Asia, and tensions have risen due to the Chinese Communist Party’s attempts to assimilate them.
In a June 2022 paper, Morgret asserted, “The Chinese government is undertaking a concerted drive to industrialize the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), which has led an increasing number of corporations to establish manufacturing operations there.” Reports on Xinjiang draw from diverse sources, including independent media and non-governmental organizations.
China denies allegations of human rights abuses, insisting that facilities in Xinjiang aimed to counter extremism. Former inmates describe harsh conditions and forced denouncement of culture. China claims the camps are closed, but former inmates reportedly face lengthy prison sentences.
Mao stated, “By issuing the report, the United States once again spread false stories on Xinjiang and illegally sanctioned Chinese officials and companies citing so-called human rights issues.” The U.S. has imposed sanctions on Chinese officials, escalating tensions. Neither Xu nor Morgret could be reached for immediate comment.
