China Retaliates with Sanctions Against US, Canadian Religious Freedom Officials Including Manchin, Perkins

The Chinese government announced a number of sanctions Saturday against American religious-rights officials and Canadian officials for condemning the country's abusive treatment of Muslims and other minorities.

Gayle Manchin, wife of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and the chair of the U.S. government's advisory Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) was banned from entering any part of China. Tony Perkins, vice chair for USCIRF was sanctioned as well.

China also targeted Canadian lawmaker Michael Chong, vice-chair of parliament's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, Reuters reports.

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Just this month, Chong submitted a report revealing the offenses committed in Xinjiang Province in China, detailing the communist regime's abuse of human rights and genocide against Uyghur Muslims. 

Chong stated that he would "wear (the sanctions) as a badge of honor. This demonstrates that parliamentarians are being effective in drawing attention to the genocide of the Uyghur people that is taking place in western China," Chong said.

The U.S., Canada, European Union, and the United Kingdom have come together to introduce their own sanctions against Chinese officials over their crimes against humanity.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau censured Beijing and vowed to uphold human rights.

China’s sanctions are an attack on transparency and freedom of expression - values at the heart of our democracy. We stand with Parliamentarians against these unacceptable actions, and we will continue to defend human rights around the world with our international partners. https://t.co/gtMleSAaEd

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) March 27, 2021

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement that China's actions "only contribute to the growing international scrutiny of the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang. We stand in solidarity with Canada, the UK, the EU, and other partners and allies around the world in calling on (China) to end the human rights violations and abuses."

The sanctions were announced after talks between officials with the Biden administration and Chinese officials in Alaska last week.

The White House has said the administration continues "to have grave concerns against China's crimes against humanity and genocide" on Uyghurs.