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WASHINGTON (AP) – The Biden administration said on Thursday it has imposed new sanctions on several Chinese biotech and surveillance companies and government agencies for actions in Xinjiang province, the latest step against Beijing over human rights abuses by Uighur Muslims in the western region of the country.
The Commerce Department is targeting the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences and 11 research institutes focused on using biotechnology to support the Chinese military.
The move will prevent American companies from selling components to unlicensed entities.
“The scientific pursuit of biotechnology and medical innovation can save lives. Unfortunately, the PRC (People’s Republic of China) chooses to use these technologies to exercise control over its people and suppress members of ethnic and religious minority groups,” said Commerce Minister Gina Raimondo. “We cannot allow US goods, technologies, and software that support medical science and biotechnical innovation to be diverted to uses contrary to US national security.”
The Treasury Department is also preparing to fine several Chinese entities, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the moves to be announced soon.
In explaining the Commerce Department’s actions, the official noted that US intelligence had determined that Beijing had set up a high-tech surveillance system across Xinjiang that uses biometric facial recognition and collects DNA samples from all residents aged 12 to 65 in the Xinjiang region. A systematic effort to suppress the Uighurs.
The White House announced last week that it would boycott the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing “the appalling human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang” by China. U.S. athletes will continue to compete, but Biden won’t be sending his usual venerable troop.
The administration also said this week it supports bipartisan legislation banning imports from Xinjiang into the United States unless companies can prove that the goods were not produced by forced labor.
China denies the abuses and says its steps are necessary to combat terrorism and a separatist movement.
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