UK LAWMAKERS DECLARE CHINA’S POLICY TOWARD UYGHURS IS GENOCIDE

British lawmakers have unanimously declared China's ongoing crackdown in Xinjiang a genocide, joining the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands in condemning Beijing's actions against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the far-west region in the strongest possible terms, Laura Smith-Apark and James Griffiths reported for CNN.

China has been accused of detaining up to 2 million people in a system of camps set up across Xinjiang in recent years, with survivors alleging widespread abuse, including brainwashing, torture, rape, and forced labor. Beijing has denied the worst accusations, defending the system as a vocational training and deradicalization program vital to ensuring the region's security.

Following a debate on Thursday, the House of Commons passed unopposed a non-binding resolution condemning "mass human rights abuses and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region."

Labor lawmaker Yasmin Qureshi, a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China UK, said "today's vote must mark a turning point. No one can still deny the scale of the abuses taking place in the Xinjiang region. That this government is pursuing deeper trade ties with China while these abuses continue is unthinkable."

Introducing the motion Thursday, Conservative lawmaker Nusrat Ghani told lawmakers that "while we must never misuse the term genocide, we must not fail to use it when it's warranted." Governments insist that genocide can only be determined by competent courts, said Ghani, but "every route to a court is blocked by China."

She added: "Our government is handcuffed, paralyzed by the United Nations. We need to take back control. Our route to tackling genocide cannot be controlled by China." While the move will likely be seen as having no real impact on UK government policy, it is sure to damage relations between London and Beijing.

Ties are already severely strained by Britain's decision to impose sanctions on Xinjiang, and the resulting tit-for-tat Chinese penalties, as well as China's moves to limit democracy in Hong Kong, a former British colony.

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