On July 2, nine members of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued a joint statement criticizing the law. Among those who participated were Chairman Jim Risch and Democratic Committee member Jeanne Shaheen.
The lawmakers pointed out that the Chinese Communist Party has denied the right to self-determination for ethnic minorities, including Tibetans, Uighurs, and Mongolians. They criticized the law for enforcing ideological conformity to the Communist Party and for potentially being used to prosecute dissenters.
A particular point of concern for the lawmakers is the law's extraterritorial application. This provision allows individuals or organizations outside of China to be held legally accountable for allegedly undermining 'ethnic unity' or inciting division. U.S. lawmakers fear this clause could justify transnational repression.
In the House of Representatives, leaders of the Special Committee on U.S.-China Strategic Competition and Representative Young Kim, chair of the House Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, joined the opposition. They view China's minority policies as a human rights issue and a matter of overseas repression, prompting bipartisan pressure.
China adopted this law in March and began its implementation on July 1. The Chinese government claims that the law aims to promote unity and common development among its 56 ethnic groups. However, the U.S. and the European Union have expressed concerns that the law infringes on the cultural, linguistic, and religious rights of minorities and could extend China's law enforcement reach beyond its borders.
China has dismissed criticisms regarding the extraterritorial application, asserting that "maintaining ethnic unity and national integrity is the right of a sovereign state" and that holding overseas individuals and organizations accountable aligns with international practices.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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