China has reacted with fury after the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bill that would require the Trump administration to harden its response to China’s crackdown on its Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region. The Uighur bill, which passed by 407-1 in the Democratic-controlled House, calls for sanctions against senior Chinese officials who it says are responsible for abuses against Muslims in mass detention camps in the northwestern region. It calls on President Trump to impose sanctions on a member of China’s powerful politburo as he seeks a trade deal with Beijing. China has released a furious statement in response to the bill, with foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying saying it “deliberately denigrates China’s human-rights situation in Xinjiang, wantonly smears China’s efforts to eliminate extremism and combat terrorism, and viciously attacks the Chinese government’s policy of governing Xinjiang.” Last week, Trump signed into law legislation supporting anti-government protesters in Hong Kong.
