The United States, United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union have all imposed targeted sanctions on Chinese government officials over the treatment of the Muslim Uighur minority in the country’s western Xinjiang province. China retaliated to the move almost immediately, sanctioning 10 European officials and 4 entities. China has been internationally criticised for its treatment of the Uighurs, with the United Nations estimating that 1 million Uighurs are detained in detention camps or being used as slave labour across China.