"China is a Mass Murderer" Pompeo Drives Final Nail in Anti-China Policy

Continuing Anti-China Offensive Until the Last Day of the Term

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The Donald Trump administration, nearing the end of its term, officially announced that China is committing genocide and crimes against humanity in the Xinjiang region.

Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State, stated in a press release on the 19th (local time) that this conclusion was reached after a thorough verification of the facts.

Secretary Pompeo emphasized, "The genocide continues. We are witnessing a systematic attempt by the Chinese Communist Party and government to destroy the Uyghur people."

Secretary Pompeo also assessed that "since March 2017, local Chinese authorities have dramatically expanded their repression policies against ethnic and religious minority groups, including Uyghur Muslims."

The Wall Street Journal noted that it is extremely rare for the U.S. State Department to mention genocide, and highlighted that this judgment came on the last day of the Trump administration's term. This can be read as a final, decisive move regarding China policy. Secretary Pompeo was one of the few Trump administration officials to maintain a hardline stance against China until the very last day of his term.

Republican Senator Ben Sasse also welcomed the State Department's announcement in a statement, saying, "This decision is the right thing to do, but it is too late."

The Journal reported that last year, the Biden campaign also pointed out that the Chinese government was involved in genocide and suggested that President-elect Biden would respond strongly to this issue.