China Targets US, Canada Individuals as Xinjiang Spat Deepens

China announced retaliatory sanctions on individuals in the U.S. and Canada in a widening spat over allegations of human-rights abuses in Xinjiang province.

The sanctions targeting the chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and a Canadian lawmaker were made in response to penalties announced a week ago by the U.S. and China, measures that were “based on rumors and disinformation,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on its website Saturday.

The Chinese government is “firmly determined” to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests, and urges the relevant parties “to clearly understand the situation and redress their mistakes,” the ministry said.

The measures ratchet up tension with the West after several countries levied sanctions on China over allegations of abuse of minority ethnic Uyghurs in the western province of Xinjiang. Beijing denies such allegations, routinely dismissing them as lies.

“They must stop political manipulation on Xinjiang-related issues, stop interfering in China’s internal affairs in any form and re rain from going further down the wrong path,” the statement said. “Otherwise, they will get their fingers burnt.”

The sanctions target USCIRF Chair Gayle Manchin, who is the wife of Democratic Senator Joe Manchin; USCIRF Vice Chair Tony Perkins; Canadian MP Michael Chong, and the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Canadian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs committee.

Those concerned are prohibited from entering China, Hong Kong and Macau, while Chinese citizens and institutions are prohibited from doing business with the individuals and having exchanges with the committee. China’s previous sanctions on U.S. individuals “who have seriously undermined China’s sovereignty and interests on Xinjiang-related issues remain effective,” the ministry said.

China sanctioned European politicians and a think tank earlier this week, including a German and a French member of the European Parliament and a former leader of Britain’s ruling Conservative Party.