China Primer: Human Rights

The U.S. Department of State describes the People’s Republic of China (PRC, or China) as an “authoritarian state in which the Communist Party of China [CPC] is the paramount authority.” Some analysts argue China has been moving in a totalitarian direction, as it is characterized by a leadership that is dominated by one person, CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping, increasing enforcement of ideological conformity, and greater party-state control over society enhanced by the use of digital technologies.

The United States and some other countries have condemned China’s policies and actions in Xinjiang, stating that they constitute crimes against humanity and genocide.