On Monday (Dec. 21), U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued another statement saying he would restrict the issuance of visas to Chinese Communist Party officials who violate human rights, namely those believed to be involved in the oppression of minorities, religious life and human rights defenders.
Pompeo’s statement, posted on the State Department website, said
China’s authoritarian rulers impose severe restrictions on the Chinese people’s freedom of speech, religion or belief, freedom of association, and the right to peaceful assembly. The United States has been clear that such human rights violators are not welcome in our country.
Today, I am announcing additional restrictions on visa issuance under section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act for Chinese officials deemed responsible for or complicit in policies or actions aimed at suppressing religious and spiritual practitioners, members of minority groups, political dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists, labor organizers, civil society organizers, and peaceful protesters. Family members of these individuals may also be subject to these additional restrictions.
This action demonstrates the U.S. government’s determination to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for its increasing repression of the Chinese people. This year, the United States has imposed visa restrictions and financial sanctions on Chinese Communist Party officials involved in the horrific atrocities in Xinjiang, restricted access to Tibet, and undermined Hong Kong’s promised autonomy. Today’s action establishes additional restrictions that apply to all CCP officials involved in such repressive activities, regardless of their location.
The United States supports the many people who have been persecuted for their peaceful efforts to exercise their rights – lawyers such as Xu Zhiyong, house church pastors such as Wang Yi, civil society activists such as Huang Qi, Uighur scholars such as Ilham Tohti, democracy advocates such as Li Zhiying, and Tibetan linguists and businessmen such as Zhaxi Wensel. We call for their immediate release and urge the Chinese Communist authorities to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms enjoyed by the Chinese people in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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