What We Can Do to Support Human Rights for Chinese Citizens

November 6, 2019

As we have recently written about and discussed on Washington Watch, the evidence is overwhelming. China is forcibly harvesting the organs of its own citizens while they are still alive. The exact number of people that have been killed is not known, but estimates are in the tens of thousands. It is estimated that the organ market that is generated by forced organ harvesting is making China $10 to 20 billion.

As our just-released Issue Analysis points out, these unspeakable crimes against humanity have mostly been perpetrated against religious minorities in China, particularly adherents to Falun Gong and ethnically Muslim Uyghurs.

While forced organ harvesting is the most barbaric form of persecution that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has committed against religious minorities, it is far from the only crime they are guilty of. The CCP was built on an extended reign of terror and mass murder that is unprecedented in the history of the world, so it should come as no surprise that they are using almost any means necessary to suppress dissent—especially of religious minorities who they see as a threat to their goal of total adherence from every single citizen to the atheistic communist ideology.

As we discuss in our new Issue Analysis, hundreds of thousands of Chinese citizens whose only crime is the practice of a faith have been imprisoned. An estimated 800,000 to 2 million are being forcibly detained in “re-education” camps that are nothing more than forced indoctrination and torture camps. China has brutally enforced a one-child policy (it is now a two child policy) that was carried out through forced abortions and sterilizations for decades. The list of atrocities that the CCP has committed against its own people goes on and on.

What the American People Can Do to Affect Change

Despite the obvious evils that the CCP perpetrates on its own people, hundreds of American businesses continue to do business with China. It cannot be repeated enough: China is forcibly harvesting the organs of its own people for financial profit. The proof is as plain as day. How much more evil must the CCP commit to finally awaken the conscience of American businesses?

As we argue, there is much that can be done to pressure China from a public policy standpoint, including official condemnations, financial sanctions, renegotiating trade deals, and congressional action.

But the American people can do more than that. It is time for all American companies who do business with China to demand that basic human rights be restored to Chinese citizens or they will seriously consider ending their business partnerships.

American consumers have an important role to play in this. We can all contact the companies that we buy products from and demand that these companies do all they can to pressure the Chinese government to restore human rights to its citizens. Companies listen to the concerns of their customers. The more we demand change, the more companies will realize how concerned their customers are about the issue of human rights in China and the more likely it will be that they will consider changing their business dealings with China.

We American citizens have more power than we think we have. If we demand change from American companies who do business in China and use our purchasing power as leverage, we may be able to hasten the day when the Chinese people are finally free from government oppression.