The United States, in coordination with the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada, announced sanctions against two Chinese government officials "in connection with serious human rights abuses against" Uyghur Muslims on Monday.

What You Need To Know

  • The U.S. and its allies in the E.U., U.K., and Canada, announced sanctions against Chinese officials "in connection with serious human rights abuses against" Uyghur Muslims

  • The Treasury Department's statement announcing the sanctions accuses China of "repressive tactics" against Uyghurs, including "mass detentions and surveillance"

  • The E.U.'s sanctions drew swift recrimination from Beijing

  • Last week, China’s ambassador to the EU, Zhang Ming, had warned that Beijing would retaliate if the EU went ahead with its sanctions

"Amid growing international condemnation, the [People's Republic of China] continues to commit genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. "The United States reiterates its calls on the PRC to bring an end to the repression of Uyghurs, who are predominantly Muslim, and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang, including by releasing all those arbitrarily held in internment camps and detention facilities."

The United States' sanctions designate Wang Junzheng, the Secretary of the Party Committee of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and Chen Mingguo, Director of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau, saying they are "connected to serious human rights abuses against ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, which reportedly includes arbitrary detention and severe physical abuse, among other serious human rights abuses targeting Uyghurs."

"Chinese authorities will continue to face consequences as long as atrocities occur in Xinjiang," Andrea M. Gacki, the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, said in a separate statement released by the Treasury Department. "Treasury is committed to promoting accountability for the Chinese government’s human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention and torture, against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities."

Treasury's statement accuses China of "repressive tactics" against Uyghurs, including "mass detentions and surveillance," adding: "Targets of this surveillance are often detained and reportedly subjected to various methods of torture and 'political reeducation.'"

The European Union announced sanctions against four Chinese officials on Monday, including Wang Junzheng and Chen Mingguo, provoking swift retaliation from Beijing. The sanctions involve a freeze on the officials’ assets and a ban on them traveling in the bloc. European citizens and companies are not permitted to provide them with financial assistance.

China’s Foreign Ministry responded immediately, denouncing the EU's sanctions as "based on nothing but lies and disinformation" and issuing its own retaliatory measures.

The ministry announced sanctions against 10 individuals and four institutions that it said had damaged China’s interests and “maliciously spread lies and disinformation.” They and their family members would be barred from entering mainland China, Hong Kong or Macao and cut off from financial dealings with those areas, the ministry said.

Among those targeted was Adrian Zenz, a U.S.-based German scholar who has publicized abuses against minority groups in China’s regions of Tibet and Xinjiang. China has said companies and individuals have petitioned to sue Zenz, but it wasn’t clear who the plaintiffs were or how they would pursue legal action across borders.

Others targeted for sanctions include five members of the European Parliament: Reinhard Butikofer, Michael Gahler, Raphael Glucksmann, Ilhan Kyuchyuk and Miriam Lexmann.

The ministry did not say what measures would be taken against the organizations. They were listed as the Political and Security Committee of the Council of the European Union, where the 27 national envoys decide foreign and security policy; the EU Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights; the German-based Mercator Institute for China Studies; and the Alliance of Democracies Foundation in Denmark.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who chaired the meeting of foreign ministers, expressed dismay at China’s reaction and said the EU’s sanctions respect the “highest standards of rule of law.”

“Rather than change its policies and address our legitimate concerns, China has again turned a blind eye, and these measures are regrettable and unacceptable,” Borrell said.

“There will be no change in European Union determination to defend human rights and to respond to serious violations and abuses,” he added.

Last week, China’s ambassador to the EU, Zhang Ming, had warned that Beijing would retaliate if the EU went ahead with its sanctions.

“We want dialogue, not confrontation. We ask the EU side to think twice. If some insist on confrontation, we will not back down, as we have no options other than fulfilling our responsibilities to the people in our country,” he said.

The United Kingdom announced sanctions against four individuals – including including Wang Junzheng and Chen Mingguo – and the Public Security Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

"The evidence of widespread human rights abuses in Xinjiang cannot be ignored - including mass detention and surveillance, reports of torture and forced sterilisation," the U.K.'s foreign secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement. "Working with our international partners we are imposing targeted sanctions to hold those responsible to account."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.