The Watched and the Watchful: The Economic and Foreign Politics of the Chinese Communist Party’s Religious Persecution of the Uyghur Minority

Abstract

The Chinese Communist Party’s religious persecution of the Uyghur minority is a controversy that has polarized members of the international community. This thesis seeks to address the following research question: To what extent does China’s economic leverage and political influence cause nations to align themselves accordingly on this issue? Utilizing the framework produced by Li, Huang, and Dong, this study will focus on the effect that economic ties, bilateral trade, OFDI and rule of law have on international decision making. This thesis concludes that developing countries allying with China are economically dependent on China’s support. They are inclined to demonstrate their political allegiance to China to protect their economic interests. Contrastingly, those countries who have chastised China have more developed economies. They can maintain their commitment to human rights while still retaining their economic ties with China. The findings of this thesis contribute to the broader discussion of how global states are responding to a rising China.