Environmental and Human Rights Interests Clash Over US Approach to China

10-11-2021

Katherine Willey

Environment and Human Rights Researcher,

Global Human Rights Defence.

A letter sent to President Biden and American legislators in July 2021 has illustrated ongoing tensions between environmental and human rights interests in the United States’ approach to China at the UN climate negotiations (COP26), taking place in Glasgow this week. In it, over 40 organisations call on the Biden administration to put aside its “antagonistic posture” towards China and instead focus on cooperation to solve the climate crisis. This has disturbed human rights advocates who accuse the letter’s authors of prioritising climate concerns over challenging China’s poor human rights record. They also condemn the silence of world leaders regarding human rights at COP26.

This clash is believed to be emblematic of discussions taking place within the administration. Some are supportive of Biden’s relatively confrontational attitude towards China. This approach has included imposing sanctions over Beijing’s involvement in Hong Kong and Secretary of State Antony Blinken referring to their actions against the Uyghurs as an “effort to commit genocide.” Others however, including climate envoy John Kerry, are advocating a softer approach in order to encourage China to compromise and make bigger commitments to reducing its emissions. These tensions came to a head over the Uyghur Forced Labor Act which would ban products linked to forced labour. This includes a material used to make solar panels, considered key in fossil fuel free energy production. Some lawmakers have accused Kerry of stalling the bill in an effort to avoid angering China ahead of the negotiations currently taking place. 

Activist Pema Doma from Students for a Free Tibet accused the signatories of silencing the voices of Tibetan and Uyghur communities. While she acknowledged the importance of fighting climate change, she argued that this should not come at the expense of justice for those oppressed by the Chinese government - “if we have genocides that we leave unspoken, what are we even fighting to protect?”

Sources and further reading:

7th July 2021 Letter to Joe Biden and US Congress: http://foe.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Cooperation-Not-Cold-War-To-Confront-the-Climate-Crisis-129.pdf 

Hudson, J., & Nakashima, E. (2021, October 26). In advance of climate summit, tension among Biden aides on China policy. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/biden-kerry-sullivan-cop26-china-climate/2021/10/25/8429aa96-3502-11ec-9a5d-93a89c74e76d_story.html 

Ponciano, J. (2021, April 11). Biden Secretary Of State Condemns China’s ‘Acts Of Genocide’ Against Muslim Uyghurs. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2021/04/11/biden-secretary-of-state-condemns-chinas-acts-of-genocide-against-muslim-uyghurs/?sh=3bc8590d50ca 

Spring, J., & Stanway, D. (2021, November 3). China optimistic on climate markets deal after “wasted” years. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/china-says-xi-was-given-no-option-video-address-cop26-2021-11-02/

Ward, A. (2021, July 8). Biden’s new Cold War with China will result in climate collapse, progressives warn. Politico. https://www.politico.com/news/2021/07/07/biden-china-climate-collapse-progressives-498588

Wong, C. H. (2021, March 17). Biden Imposes His First Sanctions on Chinese Officials Ahead of Bilateral Meeting. Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-imposes-his-first-sanctions-on-chinese-officials-ahead-of-bilateral-meeting-11615976219