China Places Retaliatory Sanctions on US, Canadian Officials

China placed retaliatory sanctions on U.S. and Canadian officials for their roles in promoting action against China for its human rights violations in the Xinjiang region against the Uyghur Muslim minority population (see 2103220034), a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced March 27. China levied an asset freeze and travel ban against U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Chair Gayle Manchin, USCIRF Vice Chair Tony Perkins and Canadian Member of Parliament Michael Chong. Sanctions were also placed against Canada's House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. China maintains the U.S. and Canadian sanctions are “based on rumors and disinformation.”