China rights monitors suspend work and lay off staff amid U.S. aid freeze

BEIJING –

Dozens of nongovernment groups monitoring dissent, human and labor rights in China have laid off staff after being forced to suspend work following a freeze on foreign aid by U.S. President Donald Trump, the monitors say.

The groups are key to documenting a yearslong crackdown by President Xi Jinping on minorities, rights defenders and lawyers. Last year, the EU expressed concern about the “very serious” human rights situation in China, particularly its regions of Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.

“A lot of these NGOs were blindsided — they thought, because of U.S.-China competition, even if there are funding cuts, the China programs will stay,” said Maya Wang, associate China director at Human Rights Watch.