Pompeo Fires Parting Shot: China's Abuse of Uighur Muslims Amounts to 'Genocide' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 12, 2021. (Andrew Harnik / AP)
By The Associated Press
Published January 19, 2021 at 10:17am
On his last day in office, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo hit China with new sanctions by declaring that China’s repression of Muslims and ethnic minorities in the western Xinjiang province constitute a “genocide.”
Pompeo made the determination on Tuesday just 24 hours before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. There was no immediate response from the incoming Biden administration, although several members have been sympathetic to such a designation in the past.
Pompeo’s determination does not come with any immediate repercussions.
“I have determined that the People’s Republic of China is committing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, China, targeting Uyghur Muslims and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups,” Pompeo tweeted.
“These acts are an affront to the Chinese people and to civilized nations everywhere. The People’s Republic of China and the CCP must be held to account.”
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