On Sino-British Joint Declaration Anniversary, Sens. Cruz, Hawley, Colleagues Send Bipartisan Letter Urging U.N. to Raise Issue of China’s Human Rights Violations

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On the 35th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) today sent a letter to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. In the letter, the members urge him to raise the issue of China's violations of human rights and its destruction of its documentary record in his discussions with member states and at the U.N. Human Rights Council and the U.N. Security Council. Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) also signed onto the letter.

The letter comes on the anniversary of the Dec. 19, 1984 signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration -- a bilateral agreement that was registered at the U.N. which defined the terms of the "one country, two systems" principle that would protect Hong Kong's autonomy as it transferred from British to Chinese authority.

In the letter, the senators write:

"China's actions in Hong Kong are consistent with its actions in other parts of the region and its treatment of those within its borders who may hold different beliefs from those of the Communist Party of China. Its detention camps in Xinjiang holding nearly a million Uyghur Muslims reflect China's true ambitions."

They continue:

"We the undersigned urge you to work with both member states and with the U.N. Human Rights Council and the U.N. Security Council to take meaningful steps to condemn China's operation of its detention camps in Xinjiang and to protect the documentary record of what is taking place in Xinjiang. Your actions on this matter will be a testament to the United Nations' important mandate of protecting human rights wherever they are threatened."

Read the full letter here.

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