The U.S. House passed legislation designed to punish China for its treatment of Uyghur Muslims in the country’s Xinjiang province, a move that is sure to anger Beijing and add to rising tension between the world’s two largest economies.
The 428-1 vote on the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act demonstrated the broad, bipartisan sentiment in Congress for the U.S. taking a harder line against China. A similar measure has already passed in the Senate.
"The People’s Republic of China is waging a brutal campaign of repression against the Uyghur people and other minorities with mass incarceration, torture and forced labor,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during a news conference Wednesday before the vote. "With these bills, the House is combating this horrific situation and shining a light on Beijing’s abuse.”