What should the Muslims who are prevented from fasting by the Chinese government do?
Question

                My brother and his community in Xinjiang, China are prohibited to fast Ramadhan by the authorities. Is their fasting still valid if they eat or drink under compulsion? Please be informed that they are being monitered and compelled to eat and drink and will lose their livelihood or face imprisonment especially students and government officials like teachers and others.
Praise be to Allah.
      Firstly: 

    We ask Allah to grant relief to our Muslim 
    brothers in that region, and to judge between them and their enemies on the 
    basis of truth, for He is the All-Knowing Judge. 

    Our advice to them is to be patient and 
    cling steadfastly to the faith, for tests and trials are the way of Allah in 
    dealing with His slaves. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of 
    the meaning):

    “Do 
    people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe,’ 
    and will not be tested?

    And We indeed tested those who were 
    before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those 
    who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those 
    who are liars, (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test)”

    [al-‘Ankaboot 29:2-3]. 

    Secondly: 

    By the grace of Allah towards His Muslim 
    slaves, He has decreed that the one who is compelled will not be brought to 
    account for whatever he does when he is compelled, and that whatever he does 
    under compulsion it is all the same whether he does it or not. This includes 
    the fasting person who is forced to eat or drink, in the sense of real 
    compulsion in which he fears that he or his family may be harmed if he does 
    not spoil his fast. 

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have 
    mercy on him) said: 

    If he is compelled (to break his fast), 
    his fast is still valid and he does not have to make it up, because Allah, 
    may He be glorified, has waived accountability in the case of one who 
    disbelieves under compulsion, when his heart is at ease with faith. Allah, 
    may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “Whoever 
    disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except him who is forced thereto and 
    whose heart is at rest with Faith but such as open their hearts to 
    disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a great torment”

    [an-Nahl 16:106]. 

    If Allah has waived accountability for 
    disbelieving in the case of one who is compelled to do that, then it is more 
    likely that this is also the case with regard to lesser sins. And the 
    Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Verily Allah has 
    pardoned my ummah for mistakes, forgetfulness and what they are compelled to 
    do.” 

    End quote from Majaalis Shahr Ramadan 
    (p. 82) 

    I put the question having to do with the 
    situation of this Chinese region to our Shaykh, ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan al-Barraak 
    (may Allah preserve him) and he said: 

    They should refrain from eating and 
    drinking whenever their watchers are not present, and they may eat when they 
    are being watched, enough to ward off harm from themselves. And their fast 
    is valid and they do not have to make it up, because Allah, may He be 
    exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “Whoever 
    disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except him who is forced thereto and 
    whose heart is at rest with Faith but such as open their hearts to 
    disbelief, on them is wrath from Allah, and theirs will be a great torment”

    [an-Nahl 16:106] 

    “So keep your duty to Allah and fear 
    Him as much as you can”

    [al-Taghaabun 64:16].

    End quote.