Australian Government should follow allies and impose targeted sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for cultural genocide

Following the announcement by the EU, UK, US and Canada of targeted sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for gross human rights abuses in Xinjiang province, the Australian Greens have called on the Australian Government to take urgent action.
Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens Foreign Affairs spokesperson, said:
“The Chinese Government is committing cultural genocide against the Uighur people. Xinjiang is under mass surveillance and more than one million people have been captured and put in internment camps.
“The Australian Greens echo Marise Payne in welcoming the measures announced by our allies overnight, and share the deep concern for the mass internment of Uighur people in Xinjiang province by the Chinese Government.
“It’s time that the Australian Government turned concern into action. The Australian Government should join countries around the world and impose targeted sanctions, such as travel bans, against senior Chinese Government officials and any other entities credibly alleged to be involved with or responsible for these human rights abuses.
“If the Chinese Government’s denial that genocide is occurring is to have any credibility then they must immediately allow access for international and UN observers.”