It appears that China is the pariah state that people have long imagined Israel to be. When one examines the defamatory charges leveled at Israel and Israelis on a daily basis, including but not limited to false claims of apartheid, organ harvesting, mass detention and murder of ethnic minorities, ethnic cleansing, imperialism, and many others, one can quickly conclude that the Chinese Communist Party is guilty as Israel is charged.

It is no secret that the Chinese government has detained perhaps one million Uighur Muslims, if not more, in so-called “reeducation” camps as part of what they call their war on terror and radical Islam. Tens of thousands toil away in state-owned enterprises under brutal conditions, and they are the lucky ones. Israel, while falsely accused of similar crimes, could not imagine acting similarly.

The Uighurs are by no means alone. Name a religious minority in China, and the Chinese Communist Party has most likely treated it as its imaginary putative enemy. The Falun Gong and Buddhists in Tibet are other examples of religious minorities that the Chinese government has mercilessly persecuted.

Another defamatory charge typically leveled at Israel by the most radical of extremists is that it extracts Palestinian organs and sells them in the black market — an ugly charge Israelis could never imagine engaging in. While never fully admitting to it, the Chinese acknowledged engaging in a version of this actual practice as late as 2005, but claimed it was only using organs excised from executed prisoners and that it discontinued the practice.

Mind you, the Chinese government holds a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, and is part of various so-called human rights panels. Yes, the Chinese government is entrusted with securing global human rights — an insult to the very term.

When it comes to imperialism and imperial aspirations, one need only look to the Belt and Road Initiative. This economic development program, announced in 2013, is meant to create new Chinese trade routes across Asia, Europe, Africa, and beyond, and aims to secure Chinese economic superiority in the global pecking order.

But a closer look at this initiative can lead one to conclude that it has brought a new type of “involuntary servitude” to the African continent — which the Chinese have invested heavily in, knowing the fruits of their investment will provide a foothold on the continent — while not bringing any substantial prosperity to the indigenous population.

And Africa is by no means the only target. The Chinese government is well known for its decades-long territorial claims in the South China Sea — which fly in the face of claims made by Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, and Vietnam — and resulted in the Chinese creation of man-made islands to bolster their claims diplomatically and militarily. Add Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet — and talk about modern day imperialism.

As of this writing, the coronavirus pandemic has claimed the lives of over 240,000 people worldwide, including more than 68,000 Americans. While there has yet to be a true accounting of China’s full role in the crisis, it is indisputable that Chinese lies have exacerbated the death toll and crippled the global response to this unprecedented challenge.

Lastly, it is worth noting that many of those typically arguing with endless vigor and conviction that we must criticize Israel for made up human rights violations are often silent on the real crimes of the Chinese government.

Edward Manor is an Israeli-born American lawyer. (Twitter: @SHomer_Israel)

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