China may have committed ‘genocide’ against Xinjiang Muslims, says US government report

China may have committed "genocide" in its treatment of Uighur Muslims in the region of Xinjiang, a new report commissioned by the US Congress has said.

The report adds to the growing international outrage against China for practices such as the torture and detention of hundreds of thousands of Uighur Muslims, the forced sterilisation of Uighur women, and the use of Uighurs for forced labour. 

The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) said that new evidence had come to light in 2020 demonstrating that "crimes against humanity, and possibly genocide are occurring" in Xinjiang.

It also accused China of harassing Uighur dissidents in the United States.

China has repeatedly denied accusations that it is rounding up and interning its Uighur Muslim population in camps, despite evidence from human rights group to the contrary.

Photographic evidence from satellites and personal accounts from survivors have confirmed that China has adopted a policy of systematic persecution against its Uighur minority.

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However, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington told Reuters that "the so-called 'genocide' is a rumour deliberately started by some anti-China forces and a farce to discredit China".

The CECC report called for a formal US "determination on whether atrocities are being committed" in Xinjiang.

"The United States must continue to stand with the people of China in their struggle and lead the world in a united and coordinated response to the human rights abuses of the Chinese government," said the CECC co-chair, Democratic Representative Jim McGovern.

The US has been skirting around calling the events in China a "genocide". In October, Trump’s national security advisor, Robert O’Brien said Beijing’s actions amounted to "something close to" genocide.

A formal acknowledgement of genocide from the US could compel countries to formally enact stricter restrictions and sanctions against China.