WASHINGTON: Ahead of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) centenary anniversary next week, a bipartisan group of US lawmakers have submitted a resolution condemning China’s human rights abuses over the last 100 years.
Led by Wisconsin Republican Mike Gallagher, the resolution was introduced in the US House of Representatives on Friday.
It lists atrocities committed by the CCP against its own people dating back to 1930 and pledges to stand with the “Chinese people in their struggle for liberty”, reported Fox News.
The resolution was co-sponsored by Republican Representatives Michael McCaul of Texas, Elise Stefanik of New York, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania.
Three Democratic House members also signed onto the bill, Representatives Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, and Jared Golden of Maine.
The lawmakers noted more than 30 instances of human rights abuses, ranging from the annexation of Tibet in 1951 to the “grotesque human rights abuses” against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang that started from 2017.
“The House of Representatives condemns the Chinese Communist Party for 100 years of gross violations of human rights, including repression, torture, mass imprisonment, and genocide,” Gallagher wrote in the resolution.
The group called on the US and “like-minded allies and partners to support human rights in the People’s Republic of China” and said it “looks forward to the day that the CCP no longer exists”, Fox News reported.
This comes as China is preparing for massive celebrations on July 1 and has closed Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City palace complex, and other top tourist sites.
Gallagher previously outlined the importance of uncovering the origins of the coronavirus, and referred to the global pandemic as “China’s Chernobyl” in a Fox News article.
The Wisconsin Republican has been critical of China’s “cover-up” of the virus by refusing to allow an open and transparent investigation into the virus’ origins – solidifying the theory for some that pandemic was a result of a lab leak.
Referring to the hostile response of Chinese Foreign Ministry Zhao Lijian to his article, Gallagher said: “This is the CCP’s new crazy propaganda campaign.
That this whole thing did not start at the biosafety level-four lab in China, where the whole outbreak began, but rather started in at a lab in America.” China is also eager to step up its messaging to the world at a time when the United States and Europe are expressing growing concern over the situation in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, reported NHK World.
In a meeting last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping said they must work to create an image of China as a country that is “humble, trustworthy, loved and respected”.