Xinhua Commentary: Basing sanctions on lies, Washington is true human rights violator in Xinjiang_世界简讯

AseedingmachineequippedwiththeBeidouNavigationSatelliteSystemisatworkinacottonfieldinYuliCounty,northwestChina"sXinjiangUygurAutonomousRegion,March30,2023.(Xinhua/WangFei)

Washingtonisadeptatpursuingitsself-interestsbyimposingsanctionsagainstothers,oftenundertheguiseofhigh-soundingexcuses.Itisnodoubtthe"sanctionslord."

BEIJING,June13(Xinhua)--Onidentifyingwhoishinderingtheirstriveforbetterlives,theXinjianglocalshavemoresay.

(资料图)

ReylaQahar,aworkeratKuchePomegranateSeedClothingCo.,Ltd,aspirestoimproveherlifethroughhardwork.Unfortunately,U.S.sanctionsinrecentyearsontheregion"scottonindustryhavedisruptedherplan.

TheU.S.bansplungedtheclothingcompanyintodifficulty.They"hadanadverseimpactonourcompany,"Qaharsaid.Ridiculously,thedamagingsanctionshavebeenimposedbyWashingtoninthenameofpromotinghumanrightsinXinjiang.AsQaharhaspointedout,itisWashingtonitselfthatis"violatingourhumanrightsandunderminingourhappylife."

StoriessimilartoQahar"sarenotuncommoninXinjiangasWashingtonhaslengtheneditssanctionlisttotargetmoreXinjiang-relatedcompaniesbeyondthecottonindustry.Thebusinessesaregroundlesslyaccusedofusingeither"forcedlabour"ormaterialsproducedby"forcedlabour"inXinjiang.OnFriday,underthesamepretext,WashingtonaddedtwomoreChinesecompanies,oneprintermakerandonechemicalscompany,toitshitlist.

TheactionstakenbyWashingtonarebasedonflagrantlies,ratherthanfactualevidence.Theallegationof"forcedlabor"inXinjiangiscompletelycontrarytoreality.InXinjiang,therightsandinterestsatworkofthepeopleofallethnicgroupsareeffectivelyprotected.

Washington"ssanctionsarebynomeansanefforttoprotecthumanrights.Instead,theulteriormotiveforthesanctionsistodefameChina,undermineprosperityandstabilityinXinjiang,andstifleChina"sdevelopmenttoservetheUnitedStates"hegemonicinterests.

Washingtonisadeptatpursuingitsself-interestsbyimposingsanctionsagainstothers,oftenundertheguiseofhigh-soundingexcuses.Itisnodoubtthe"sanctionslord."AccordingtoareportofTheWashingtonPost,theU.S.TreasuryDepartmentestimatedinlate2021thatithadsanctionson9,421organizationsandindividuals,aroughly900percentincreaseoverthepast20years.In2022,theTreasuryDepartmentadded2,549newdesignations.

ThisphototakenonJan.20,2023showstheU.S.DepartmentoftheTreasuryinWashington,D.C.,theUnitedStates.(Xinhua/LiuJie)

Thebulkofthosesanctionshasbeenimposedinthenameofprotectinghumanrights,yettheyhaveonlycausedhumanitariandisastersinnumerousregionsandcountries.

Foryears,WashingtonhasconsistentlyimposedillegalunilateralsanctionsonSyria,exacerbatingtheMiddleEasterncountry"seconomiccrisisanddevastatingthelivelihoodsofitspeople.InFebruary,Washington"ssanctionsdirectlyimpededtherescueeffortsinthefirst72hoursinSyriaafteradeadlyearthquake.

Xinjiangpresentsanothercase.LastJune,WashingtonsignedintolawtheUyghurForcedLaborPreventionAct,whichbrazenlypresumesthatallgoodsfromXinjianghavebeentaintedby"forcedlabor"andstipulatesthatthegoodswillbebannedfromexportingtotheUnitedStatesunlessimporterscanproveotherwise.

Thelegislationisaclearformofintimidation.AnycompanythathirespeoplefromXinjiangmayfallpreytotheact.Ratherthancombatting"forcedlabor,"thelawactuallyengenders"forcedunemployment"and"forcedpoverty."

Furthermore,ithasalsoattemptedtokickXinjiangoutoftheglobalindustrialandsupplychains,adefacto"forceddecoupling"fromChinathatwilldisruptinternationaleconomicandtradeorders.

Washingtonhasbeenviolatinghumanrightsunderthepretextofprotectinghumanrights,floutingruleswhilepurportingtoupholdthem,andbreakinglawswhilepretendingtosafeguardthem.Suchmovesgoagainstthetrendofthetimesandareultimatelydestinedtofail.