Why the U.S. Keeps Miscoloring Issues Related to Xinjiang

Yi Ching

On May 13, the U.S. State Department released its 2020 International Religious Freedom Report, highlighting examples of religious freedom violations around the world. Nader, an official from the Office of International Religious Freedom at the State Department, asserted at the briefing that China had turned the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (hereinafter referred to as “Xinjiang”) into an “outdoor prison” where it monitors every movement of the people, and imposes forced labor on the Uyghurs and other Muslim communities in Xinjiang.

Xinjiang-related Issues Have Been Badly Speculated

Just one day before the Report was released, the United States as well as Germany and the United Kingdom and Human Rights Watch convened an online conference on Xinjiang at the United Nations to demand that China stop its suppression of the Uighurs, which was strongly rebuffed by the Chinese side. Greenfield, the newly appointed U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said, “We will continue to stand upright and raise our voices until the Chinese government stops its crimes against humanity and its ethnocide of the Uighurs and other minorities in Xinjiang.”

In fact, the United States has been bringing up the so-called Xinjiang issues for quite some time. As early as last June, Trump signed into law the 2020 Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, which deliberately denigrated the human rights conditions in Xinjiang and attacked China's policies on governing Xinjiang.

Immediately afterwards, the Inter-Parliamentary Policy Alliance on China (IPAC) issued a statement claiming that there were “massive detentions, brainwashing, extrajudicial detentions, intrusive surveillance, forced labor, destruction of Uighur cultural sites (including cemeteries) as well as other forms of abuse” in Xinjiang. “[The world cannot be silent], and all countries “have an obligation to prevent and punish any effort to destroy a national, ethnic, religious group.”

As is known, the so-called “genocide” theory was invented by then Secretary of State Pompeo on the last day of the Trump administration. In the middle of January this year, the Congressional and Executive Commission on China (CECC) released its 2020 Annual Report stating that up to 1.8 million Uighurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz and other Muslim minorities were arbitrarily detained in Xinjiang. Severe human rights violations, tortures, political indoctrination, forced renunciation of beliefs, and widespread and systematic forced labor in mass detention camps would constitute crimes against humanity under international laws.

Certain researchers with serious ideological prejudices have also made the presumption of guilt behind closed doors by relying on online data to claim that cotton growers and gatherers in Xinjiang are being forced to work without conducting any field surveys. It would be possible to communicate and explain if it was purely a matter of research methodology, however, if they bear a pronounced ideological bias, it would be a dialogue with the deaf and it's impossible to wake up a person who is pretending to be asleep.
            
The photovoltaic industry has become the new target of criticism from the U.S. side

It should be alarming that, for a period of time, in addition to the boycott of Xinjiang cotton with allies on the grounds of “forced labor”, the U.S. has also been suppressing the Chinese photovoltaic industry in the name of human rights. Last December, the Solar Energy Industries Association of America (SEIA) launched a campaign against forced labor, developed a supply chain traceability agreement for solar module raw materials and encouraged companies to move their supply chains out of Xinjiang, and in February signed a pledge with 175 member companies to oppose forced labor in the solar supply chain.

The U.S. Congress has also been engaged in this issue, and on March 30, eight senators, including Marco Rubio, proposed the Ban Chinese Solar Energy Act, which would prohibit federal funds from being allocated for the purchase of solar panels manufactured or assembled in China, particularly in Xinjiang, and would require that:

First, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) should establish standards and guidelines prohibiting the use of federal funds for the procurement of solar panels manufactured or assembled in China; second, the General Accounting Office ("GAO") should submit a report to the U.S. Congress on the number of solar panels purchased by federal government departments and agencies from related entities; and third, the Director of OMB should conduct an independent investigation of the domestic solar panel market in the United States and the global supply chain and labor composition of solar panel production.

In fact, the U.S. has been trying to recapture part of the polysilicon market from China, and it has had some effect. Since the imposition of 201 tariffs on imported solar modules in 2017, U.S. solar module manufacturers have improved their production significantly, with market share rising to a 10-year high of 19.8% in 2019. It should be noted that the 201 Tariff has not negatively impacted the U.S. solar installation market, which was up by 43% in 2020 and can be expected to increase by more than 50% compared to what was expected before the 201 Tariff was imposed.

However, this has not changed the fundamental pattern of the global solar supply chain dominated by China. Based on data provided by the Coalition for a Prosperous America, since 2005, China has invested at least USD 47 billion in solar energy and currently accounts for about 64% of the polysilicon market, a figure that is expected to rise to 75% by 2023, as well as 99% of the ingot and wafer production market. The vast majority of solar panel materials and components relied upon for clean energy in the United States are produced in China.

In the face of the impact of Chinese products, at least 100 companies in the United States have gone bankrupt, with a total loss of USD 10 billion in investment and thousands of jobs. To avoid continued threats to the leadership position of the United States by China's dominance in the photovoltaic industry, the Biden administration is likely to further resort to human rights in Xinjiang and impose sanctions on major Chinese photovoltaic manufacturing companies. The Coalition for a Prosperous America proposed five major suggestions:

First, based on the added values and annual sales of products in the United States, solar manufacturers in the United States can enjoy the “Made in America” solar tax incentives; second, strengthen the “Domestic Products First” policy, requiring the federal government to purchase only solar equipment made in the United States, and only purchase electricity generated by US-made solar equipment; third, prohibit the use of products produced through forced labor in Xinjiang; fourth, impose lasting, long-term tariffs on all inputs in the solar supply chain and provide dedicated federal research and development support; and fifth, increase support for STEM education.

However, it is not possible to establish an alternative supply chain in the United States overnight, and it could result in higher product prices. Undoubtedly, however eloquent the reasons found by the United States, the United States is concerned that China’s dominance in the global solar supply chain poses a threat to the energy independence and technological leadership of the United States, the United States has been suffering from dependence on Middle East petroleum, and does not want to be further subject to Chinese renewable energy equipment.

However, it is not as easy for the United States to rebuild a supply chain that is competitive with China, especially in the context that major countries around the world have committed to achieving carbon neutrality, and the Biden administration also expects to reduce emissions by expanding the coverage of solar energy, the role of China's photovoltaic industry is irreplaceable, and a blockade is detrimental to others without benefiting itself. In this regard, China and the United States should enhance communication, guide the bilateral disputes back to economic and trade fundamentals, seek a mutually acceptable solution, and strive to achieve a win-win situation.

Socio-economic Development Achievements in Xinjiang are Evident to All

For a long time, Xinjiang has been victimized by ethnic separatist forces, religious extremist forces as well as violent terrorist forces, and terrorist attacks have occurred frequently, which have seriously trampled on human dignity. The establishment of Vocational Skills Education and Training Centers by the local government in Xinjiang aim to eradicate the cultivation ground of extremism and assist victims of extremism in returning to society and restoring their normal lives. The functions of such institutions are of no difference from those of community correction centers in the United States and de-radicalization centers in France.

In the face of the actual threats of terrorism and extremism, Xinjiang has taken decisive measures to combat terrorism and de-extremism, effectively curbing the momentum of the frequent occurrence of terrorist activities, maximizing the protection of local people of all ethnic groups living and working in peace and promoting accelerated socio-economic development, and the achievements are evident to all. Up to now, there has not been a single case of violence and terrorism for more than four years.

Nowadays, Xinjiang enjoys social stability and smooth economic development. Over 24,000 mosques have been built, one for every 530 Muslims on average, seven languages are available in primary and secondary education, and television and radio programs are broadcast in five minority languages. Over the past more than 40 years, the Uyghur population in Xinjiang has more than doubled, from 5.55 million to 12.8 million, and population policies have been more favorable to ethnic minorities, including Uyghurs. By the end of last year, over 3 million people in poverty in Xinjiang had all been lifted out of poverty.

Surprisingly, in the face of the tremendous achievements in the construction of Xinjiang and the great changes in people’s lives, some in the United States and Europe are still fervently talking about “genocide” and crimes against humanity, as long as people with a little common sense would feel ridiculous, no wonder even the senior lawyers of the State Department of the United States are also skeptical of this accusation. Apparently, some people in the United States have ulterior motives on the Xinjiang issues, and they are completely reversing right and wrong, which is very unkind. 
               
Xinjiang Independence Separatists Plot to Boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics

It is worth noting that a number of organizations and individuals are now calling for a boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. For a period of time, the Free Tibet Student Movement, Humanitarian China and more than 100 other human rights movement organizations have issued a joint open letter calling on governments to commit to a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics so as not to contribute to the egregious human rights abuses and crackdown on dissent by the Chinese government.

“Xinjiang Independence Separatists” groups have also been campaigning for a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, demanding that some companies, including Airbnb, withdraw their sponsorship of the Beijing Winter Olympics and utilize their platforms to tell the world that Uighurs in Xinjiang are being persecuted.

Politicians from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have voiced their doubts about dispatching delegations to the Beijing Winter Olympics. As reported by CNN, last March, 12 senators of the United States submitted a bipartisan bill calling on the International Olympic Committee to disqualify China from hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics and reapply for the right to host the Olympics, which is a repeat of the 2008 support for “Tibetan Independence” force to boycott the Beijing Olympics.

In early February this year, Republican Senator Scott, along with six other senators, proposed a resolution claiming that China is committing genocide against the Uighurs in Xinjiang, urging the International Olympic Committee to cancel Beijing's right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics unless the Beijing authorities immediately remedy their extremely egregious and various human rights violations.
              
IOC Supports Beijing in Hosting the Winter Olympics

In response to accusations by some countries and groups that the IOC ignores the human rights conditions in China and calls for a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the IOC has taken a clear stand against it, stressing that the Olympic Committee must remain neutral on political issues.

On May 7, when President Xi Jinping had a phone call with IOC President Bach, Bach explicitly stated that the IOC adheres to the Olympic Charter and opposes the politicization of the Olympic Movement, and is willing to continue to work closely with China and fully support China in hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics as scheduled. He believed that the Beijing Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics would demonstrate to the world the model strength in the fight against the epidemic, promote the development of ice and snow sports in the world and make an important contribution to the development of the Olympic undertakings.

On May 18, IOC Vice President Huang Simian praised the smooth progress of the preparations for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in an exclusive interview with China Central Radio and Television (CCTV). He remarked that despite the challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19, the preparation work by China were of the highest standard. Beijing will be recorded in history as the first city to successfully host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. The IOC adheres to the Olympic Charter and strongly opposes the politicization of the Olympic Games. The Olympic Committee will continue to work closely with China and fully support the Beijing Winter Olympics to be held as scheduled.

The Olympic and Paralympic Committee of the United States has also repeatedly stressed that it does not support the athletes' boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Lyons, Chairman of the Committee, stated at a press conference two months ago that “There have been calls for a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, but I would like to emphasize, as stated in the statement issued earlier this month, that we do not support a boycott of the Olympics. We are sure that this boycott was not effective in the past - especially in 1980 (Moscow Olympics). Retrospectively, we believe that boycotts only unfairly punish athletes who have trained their entire lives for the opportunity to represent their country.”

In a letter to members of Congress dated May 12, Hirshland, Chief Executive Officer of the Olympic and Paralympic Committee of the United States, declared that “an athlete boycott of the Olympic and Paralympic Committees is not a solution to the geopolitical problem” and that the American public also agrees this. A recent poll has demonstrated that about two-thirds of Americans oppose a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
             
Telling the Chinese Stories with the Local Context

It goes without saying that, to a certain extent, some people in the United States and Europe have confused the public on the Xinjiang issues. However, it is clear to the discerning people that the Xinjiang-related issues are not about human rights, ethnicity and religion, but about anti-violence and anti-secession. It is logical to say that after 911, the United States has a deep pain about terrorism. If so, why have some people in the West failed to give up the dreams of “miscoloring”?

The detailed examination of the reasons for this is very complex, including ideological aspects, economic interests, as well as cultural differences, which are inexhaustible. It is important to acknowledge that it is difficult to get agreement from different standing points, especially because certain ideological prejudices are deep-rooted and cannot be completely eliminated by wishful thinking on the part of China.

So, does it mean that we can only do nothing but waiting for the misunderstanding to deepen? The answer, of course, is no. To uate a regime, no matter what kind of political system it adopts, the most fundamental thing is whether it implements “good governance” or “bad governance”. Over the past few decades, thanks to the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), China has witnessed sweeping social and economic changes, with its people living and working in peace and contentment, greatly narrowing the gaps with developed countries, and making achievements that have attracted worldwide attention.

To connect China and abroad and to communicate with the world, priorities should be given to the “audience”. As pointed out by some scholars, the most urgent task is how to correct the misunderstandings of the West regarding the Chinese Communist Party. This requires understanding the general situation, adapting to local conditions, differentiating the target audience, and applying precise measures to actively explore strategies to better “tell the Chinese stories and spread the positive voices of China”, so that more people can better understand the governance model of the CPC and the modernization path of China. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Xinjiang has adhered to the basic strategy of targeted poverty alleviation, focused its efforts on overcoming difficulties, and made decisive achievements in poverty alleviation. Uighur resident Shalek Jiang Yiming (second from left) chats with his neighbors in a small yard in Hardun Community, Tacheng City, Xinjiang Province (Xinhua Photo). In recent years, the Women’s Federation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has raised funds to promote the implementation of the “hairdressing salon” project in about 2000 deep poverty-stricken villages in four states of southern Xinjiang, which has been promoted in other areas of Xinjiang successively. Efforts have been made to arrange local employment for rural women to get rich and make hairdressing. Now, more than ten thousand women have participated in the training of beauty and hairdressing skills, and about 5,000 women are directly employed, with an average income of about 2000 yuan per month. The picture shows in Qianjin Village, Naizherbage Town, Kashi City, Kashi Region, Xinjiang on March 5, a woman in a hairdressing salon is looking at the effect in a mirror after makeup (Xinhua News Agency Photo)


 

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