The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region lies in far Western China and is of strategic importance. The Belt and Road Initiative runs through it, and the Chinese government is pouring millions of dollars into the area for both development and security. However, the government is violating the rights of millions of Uyghurs and other ethnic groups who call Xinjiang home. Ubiquitous surveillance, thousands of extrajudicial detention facilities, and large-scale forced labor are just some of the tactics the government is using in an effort to stamp out dissent and secure the region. Xinjiang presents one of the direst human rights situations in the world, but how can multilateral institutions, governments, companies, and we as consumers start to shift such practices? It’s a thorny question with no single answer. Amy Lehr, Director and Senior Fellow of the CSIS Human Rights Initiative, will take us through past case studies and policy options to point to potential ways forward.
