Title: A resolution condemning the Chinese Communist Party's use of forced labor and other coercive measures to destroy religious freedom in Tibet.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution condemns China's campaign against religious freedom in Tibet. The resolution also calls for an investigation into China's use of forced labor and urges the United States to scrutinize economic partners that utilize Tibetan or other forced labor programs.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 752 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 752

Condemning the Chinese Communist Party's use of forced labor and other 
        coercive measures to destroy religious freedom in Tibet.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             October 22 (legislative day, October 19), 2020

   Mr. Hawley (for himself, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Scott of South 
  Carolina, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Braun, Mr. Young, Mrs. Loeffler, Mr. 
    Cassidy, Ms. McSally, and Mr. Lankford) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Condemning the Chinese Communist Party's use of forced labor and other 
        coercive measures to destroy religious freedom in Tibet.

Whereas the Chinese Communist Party has long persecuted Tibetans for their 
        religious beliefs, including by illegitimately claiming authority to 
        designate the Dalai Lama's successor, destroying religious institutions, 
        and arbitrarily detaining, disappearing, and torturing Tibetans in order 
        to compel adherence to ``normal religious activities'', as sanctioned by 
        the Party;
Whereas the Chinese Communist Party has launched a policy of Sinicization of 
        Tibetans and escalated its attacks on Tibetans by removing Tibetan 
        farmers and herders from their land, compelling them to cede control of 
        their land and herds to state authorities, transferring them to state 
        facilities where they are subjected to forced labor training programs, 
        political indoctrination, and other abuses, and sending them to state-
        assigned jobs in Tibet and other parts of China, often far from their 
        families and communities;
Whereas the Chinese Communist Party views forced labor and other coercive 
        measures as acceptable practices for strengthening the Chinese economy, 
        while simultaneously suppressing or eliminating religious and ethnic 
        groups that it views as inherently threatening to its rule and other 
        political ambitions;
Whereas the Chinese Communist Party's actions in Tibet, like its actions in the 
        Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and other parts of China, reflect the 
        Party's belief that might makes right and its determination to use every 
        measure at its disposal, no matter how heinous, to consolidate power and 
        advance its interests; and
Whereas the Chinese Communist Party believes that might makes right not just 
        domestically, but also in international relations, as evidenced by its 
        actions in the Taiwan Strait, the South and East China Seas, along the 
        Sino-Indian border, and in cyberspace, as well as its use of economic 
        threats to silence or otherwise compel nations, businesses, and 
        individuals to accede to its demands throughout the Indo-Pacific region 
        and beyond: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns the Chinese Communist Party's campaign against 
        religious freedom in Tibet, including its plainly illegitimate 
        efforts to designate the next Dalai Lama, which is a matter 
        that should be determined solely within the Tibetan Buddhist 
        faith community;
            (2) calls for an investigation into the Chinese Communist 
        Party's use of forced labor, in addition to other coercive 
        measures, to force Tibetans to practice their faith in a manner 
        compliant with the Party's interpretation of ``normal religious 
        activities'';
            (3) calls on United States companies to scrutinize their 
        supply chains and divest of suppliers and other partners that 
        use Tibetan or other forced labor programs or are unable to 
        certify that they do not use Tibetan or other forced labor;
            (4) calls on the United States Government to proactively 
        support, as per the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (subtitle B of 
        title VI of division A of Public Law 107-228; 22 U.S.C. 6901 
        note), the Dalai Lama's call for negotiations to resolve the 
        issue of Tibet, including by preserving religious freedom and 
        Tibetan labor rights; and
            (5) encourages all nations to condemn the Chinese Communist 
        Party's attempts to impose its will on others, both at home and 
        abroad, and stand together against the Party's hegemonic 
        agenda.
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