US House of Representatives approves Uyghur policy act

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Uyghur Policy Act with overwhelming support, requiring the State Department to provide Uyghur language classes to diplomats, place Uyghur speakers in all consulates in China, and include Uyghurs in speaking programs in Muslim-majority countries.

Rep. Young Kim, a Republican from California, and Rep. Ami Bera, a California Democrat, led the introduction of the bill in the House.

“The Uyghur Policy Act equips the U.S. with tools needed to support the basic human rights and distinct identities of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region subject to [China’s] inhumane treatment,” said Kim.

The bill also mandates the appointment of a special coordinator for Uyghur issues.

The legislation, which aims to support the rights and identities of Uyghurs, now moves to the Senate for further consideration. The U.S. has labeled Chinese policies in the Xinjiang region as “genocide,” and the bill has received bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate.