Uyghur organizations urge the Trump administration to resume RFA Uyghur funding

Uyghur organizations urged the Trump administration to resume RFA Uyghur Service funding, warning that its closure would weaken press freedom and strengthen China’s disinformation efforts.

In a press release issued on March 21, 2025, a coalition of 57 Uyghur organizations worldwide, in collaboration with the World Uyghur Congress, expressed deep appreciation for the Trump administration’s strong support for the Uyghur people, who continue to face genocide and crimes against humanity at the hands of the Chinese government.

The statement praised U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s condemnation of Thailand’s forcible deportation of 40 Uyghur refugees to China and the subsequent visa restrictions imposed on the Thai officials responsible. According to the press release, these actions have renewed hope among Uyghurs under the new U.S. administration, demonstrating America’s unwavering commitment to Uyghur human rights.

However, the organizations raised serious concerns over the potential closure of Radio Free Asia (RFA) Uyghur Service, which they described as “the only independent and uncensored news source for Uyghurs.” The statement noted that since its establishment in 1998, RFA Uyghur Service has played a crucial role in exposing mass detentions, forced labor, and the destruction of Uyghur culture, language, and history. The press release emphasized that despite the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) relentless efforts to silence independent Uyghur voices, RFA Uyghur Service remains “one of the most credible sources of fact-based reporting to counter Beijing’s propaganda and disinformation.”

According to the statement, the decision to cut RFA Uyghur Service’s funding “not only weakens America’s role as a defender of democracy and free speech but also strengthens China’s ability to shape the global narrative in its favor, particularly against the United States.” The organizations warned that under Xi Jinping’s rule, China has intensified its disinformation warfare—denying its crimes, shifting blame onto the victims, and using economic leverage to silence governments worldwide. The press release stressed that “without RFA’s investigative journalism, China’s disinformation will go unchallenged, allowing Beijing to intimidate Uyghur exiles, spread false narratives, and whitewash its crimes against humanity.”

The statement further underscored that China’s actions pose “a direct threat to U.S. national security.” It warned that Beijing is actively seeking to replace the U.S. as the dominant global power, using East Turkistan as a strategic hub for military expansion, resource extraction, and its Belt and Road Initiative. The press release also pointed out the economic risks of cutting RFA Uyghur Service funding, stating that “China’s use of Uyghur forced labor not only undermines American businesses but also strengthens its military, fueling advancements in technology and weaponry.”

The organizations also highlighted the “immense personal risks” faced by RFA Uyghur Service journalists. Since 2017, China has targeted these reporters, attacking their credibility and imprisoning their family members in retaliation. Despite these threats, the statement emphasized that “RFA Uyghur Service has remained at the forefront of exposing China’s crimes, ensuring that the world sees the full extent of the atrocities committed against the Uyghur people.” It also credited RFA Uyghur Service’s investigative reporting as playing a pivotal role in the first Trump administration’s genocide determination against China’s treatment of Uyghurs.

The press release urged the Trump administration to immediately restore funding for RFA Uyghur Service, warning that shutting it down “would hand China a significant propaganda victory, allowing Beijing to dismiss the U.S. genocide determination as the ‘lies of the century.’”