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A US congressional report released on Wednesday called for sanctions against China over human rights abuses, and for US officials to keep rights concerns in mind during dealings with Beijing, including trade negotiations.

The annual human rights report from the Congressional-Executive Commission on China said human rights and rule of law conditions worsened in China from August 2018 to August 2019, the period studied.

The report detailed China’s crackdown on religious minorities, labor activists and the press, and focused extensively on the treatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population in Xinjiang, “where the Commission believes Chinese authorities may be committing crimes against humanity.” “In addition, the Administration should develop talking points for US Government officials - including those engaged in trade negotiations - that consistently link freedoms of press, speech, and association to US and Chinese interests,” the report said.