Washington, D.C. — Tibetan, Hong Kong, and Uyghur activists condemned Chinese VP Han Zheng’s presence at the U.S. Presidential Inauguration ceremony on Monday. They urge Trump administration to emphasise human rights in its engagement with China and to hold Beijing accountable for its atrocities in Tibet, East Turkistan, and Hong Kong.
Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States and JD Vance as the 50th Vice-President of the United States on January 20, 2025, at the White House, Washington, D.C. All former presidents, including Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States, George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States, Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States, and the presidents, foreign ministers or representatives of the countries including Chinese VP Han Zheng were presented at the inauguration ceremony.
Other high-profile guests included technology moguls Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Jeff Bezos, Executive Chairman of Amazon, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, and Tim Cook of Apple, also presented in the inauguration ceremony.
Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), the Washingtonians Supporting Hong Kong (DC4HK), and the Uyghur American Association (UAA) jointly issued a statement on January 20, 2025 and denounced the attendance of Chinese Vice President Han Zheng at the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C.
They said, "We call on the incoming administration to foreground human rights in its engagement with China and to hold Beijing accountable for its atrocities in Tibet, East Turkistan, and Hong Kong."
"Han Zheng, a key architect of China's oppressive policies, is a senior member of a regime responsible for ongoing genocide against Uyghurs and Tibetans, and the decimation of Hong Kong's freedoms under the guise of "national security." Han Zheng's role in implementing these draconian policies makes his presence at the inauguration stains this solemn democratic event with the reminder of the authoritarianism and human rights violations that millions suffer under Chinese rule," they explained.
The NGOs urge the Trump administration to take decisive actions, including:
• Meeting with leaders of the Tibetan, Uyghur, and Hong Kong diasporas to affirm solidarity.
• Expanding sanctions on Chinese officials complicit in human rights abuses.
• Supporting legislation that promotes accountability, such as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act, and the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. The United States must stand firm in its commitment to human rights and ensure that its foreign policy reflects its democratic values.