A renowned expert at the University of Kansas published a report in the Journal of the National Human Rights Commission arguing for the implementation of US trade sanctions against China in response to alleged human rights violations.
In the journal article, alleged Chinese government actions against Uyghur Muslims were described as a potential genocide that may have resulted in violations of human rights. Thus, the expert in international trade law argued, the decisions to continue various trade sanctions were justified.
Human rights and international trade, according to the international trade law expert, are inextricably linked. And such sanctions are appropriate for future implementation.
“Most people think human rights are to be separated from trade. In fact, that’s not true,” said Raj Bhala, the report’s author in a news release.
“There are no express, comprehensive provisions for human rights in the World Trade Organization or General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, but we’re seeing the link come up in U.S. trade policy and some regional free trade agreements. We’re entering an era of invigorated enhancements of human rights through trade policy,” Bhala added.
“If we’ve learned nothing else, it’s that trade policy is national security policy is human rights policy. Our national security is based on our values. We express our values partly through who we decide to trade with, and the terms on which we trade with them. Trade is not only about trade.”
