Uyghur Policy Act of 2023

S.1252, the Uyghur Policy Act of 2023, requires the U.S. State Department to develop a strategy within 180 days to pressure China to release Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities detained in Xinjiang. It mandates U.S. diplomats to seek access to detention facilities, support Uyghur advocacy in Muslim-majority countries through public diplomacy programs, and provide Uyghur language training for Foreign Service officers. The bill also directs the U.S. to advocate at the United Nations for unimpeded access to Xinjiang and to oppose efforts limiting discussion of human rights issues there. It directly affects U.S. diplomatic operations, international advocacy efforts, and the State Department’s engagement with China on Xinjiang. The legislation focuses on concrete policy actions rather than speculative outcomes.