Washington’s most effective weapon against Beijing’s deepest vulnerabilities is elevating religious freedom to a national security priority, according to Sam Brownback, former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.
Brownback, who served in the role during the first Trump administration, made the remarks on Oct. 28 at the China Forum, an annual conference in Washington hosted by the Victims of Communism Museum Foundation.
Calling the Chinese regime’s persecution of Muslim Uyghurs, Falun Gong practitioners, and Tibetan Buddhists three genocides, Brownback said Washington should offer clear support for people of faith in China.
“For China, religious freedom is an existential threat,” Brownback said. “This should move from being just a human rights issue to a national security issue for us: religious freedom. It is the most potent, powerful tool that we have.”…