Uyghur Slave Labour: Xinjiang

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Let me make it clear that this question is not about being anti-Chinese—far from it. It is about the abuses of the dictatorial Chinese Communist Government and its ruling elite. On Monday, Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China adviser Adrian Zenz published research taken from internal Chinese Government files, which showed that in 2018 the prefectures of Aksu and Hotan sent 210,000 workers via coercive labour transfer to forcibly pick cotton for a Chinese paramilitary organisation, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. That is, in effect, slave labour. Furthermore, Mr Zenz and IPAC have also shown that the Chinese Government forced Uyghur women into sterilisation. As a result, the Uyghur population in those regions fell by as much as 84% between 2015 and 2018. That is action verging, I believe, on genocide. Meanwhile, the peaceful proponents of democracy in Hong Kong are locked up and forced to flee their homes; Christians and Falun Gong have suffered organ harvesting, while half a million Tibetans have been forced into labour camps. The Chinese Communist party is oppressive at home and bullying abroad—just look at its actions in bullying Australia for calling for an independent inquiry into the origins of covid, and the revelations over the weekend that supposedly secure institutions such as even the Foreign Office have been penetrated not only by CCP members, but by members of the fanatical United Front. The security issues are paramount. I ask my hon. Friend when he will announce that those responsible for all these evils will be sanctioned under the Magnitsky regimes. We have been going on and on about that, without answer. Will he commit to reviewing all our dependency on China and to putting that on a secure basis? May I ask what he is doing now about the penetration by those United Front entryists into the embassy and other secure institutions in the United Kingdom? Will his Department support the forthcoming genocide amendment that is now in the other place? I simply say to my hon. Friend that we must condemn—not just criticise, but condemn—the actions being taken by this abusive Government. We have learned in the past that appeasement does not work. That is why we must take this head-on, right now, before it becomes too big to manage.

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Yesterday, Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis described the treatment of the Uyghur people as an “unfathomable mass atrocity”. He added: “Let no person say that the responsibility lies with others.” The shocking BBC revelations must be the trigger for action, following accounts of forced sterilisations, beatings and re-education camps, which undeniably share features of genocide. Yesterday, it became clear that Britain is deeply involved in this story. We are tied to the Uyghur people through our global supply chains, importing cotton born of forced labour into our markets and, in doing so, unwittingly helping to sustain these appalling mass atrocities. I want to hear about action today. The Government must introduce Magnitsky sanctions and work with our allies to maximise their effect. Has the Minister discussed targeted sanctions with partners in North America, Europe and Australia? In October, the Foreign Secretary said he needed to “gather the evidence”, but by December no Xinjiang officials were included in the updated Magnitsky list. Without further evidence, we will not make progress, so how are the Government going to work with allies to pressure China to allow the UN access to Xinjiang? Has the Minister considered the use of the 1984 convention against torture, a potential international legal process that does not present the same jurisdictional challenges facing the International Criminal Court or face the same evidence bar? When the BBC asked British companies to confirm that cotton from Xinjiang was not used in their supply chains, only four were able to do so. If that does not fire our sense of urgency, what on earth will? The review of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 concluded that for many companies it was simply a “tick-box exercise”, with 40% not complying at all. It recommended enforcement and stronger processes. What are the Government waiting for? Can the Minister confirm today that no public body, whether it is the NHS, the armed forces or his own Department, uses cotton from Xinjiang? If he cannot, will he tell us what he is going to do to ensure that the Modern Slavery Act covers public bodies and that not a penny of public money is spent on allowing the mass persecution of the Uyghur to continue?

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Pays tribute to Adrian Zenz's report on Uyghur human rights violations. Calls for Magnitsky sanctions and support for businesses in tracking slave labour through supply chains.

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Congratulates the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green on bringing Uyghur rights violations to the House. Calls for a Government audit of UK companies involved in slavery and asks for cross-Government efforts statement.

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Raises concerns about the abuse of Uyghur people and calls for an urgent independent investigation. Asks if the Chinese ambassador has been summoned.

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Asks if a publicly available watchlist of companies linked to slave labour will be created, and suggests a total ban on products associated with human rights abuses.

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Asks if there is a duty on strong nations to speak out against totalitarian states that violate human rights.

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Calls for robust action against China, emphasising moral obligations to help persecuted people.

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Supports the Government's approach but asks for an extension of the Magnitsky Act and recognition of the Uyghur tribunal.

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Asks if stronger messages can be sent to China regarding investment in the UK and luxury shopping by Chinese politburo members.

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The House of Commons has historically supported the enslaved and persecuted in the world, urging the Minister to take action against China's use of slave labour for cotton picking. He also asks about pursuing Magnitsky sanctions and trade sanctions post-Brexit.

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Ms Hopkins inquires about steps being taken by the Foreign Secretary to support the appointment of a UN special rapporteur for investigating forced labour and ethnic persecution in Xinjiang.

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Mr Wakeford raises concerns about the treatment of Uyghurs and asks for practical steps to hold China accountable.

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Ms Fellows questions if the UK will sacrifice its moral and ethical principles for economic gains with China and demands that human rights abuses in Xinjiang be a precondition for trade deals.

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Mr Gwynne refers to the UN convention on genocide, inquiring about international actions beyond joint statements against human rights abuses.

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Ms Kearns calls for an atrocity prevention unit within FCDO to pressure China on its reputation and economy.

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Mr Mishra asks why it has taken FCDO so long to apply Magnitsky sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for human rights abuses.

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Mr Johnston urges businesses to establish whether their products involve forced labour and cease using them if true.

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Mr Murrison asks the Minister to persuade international partners to look at national public procurement supply chains to ensure products do not involve forced labour.

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Ms Ali compares the situation to Myanmar's treatment of Rohingya Muslims, calling for immediate application of sanctions and a UN investigation.

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I encourage the Minister to persuade our allies that tackling these issues now will be easier than waiting. How can we ensure UK companies do not benefit from slave labour?

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Will the Minister legislate to require UK garment retailers to label if cotton is sourced from forced Uyghur labour in Xinjiang?

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Will my hon. Friend consider working with our international partners to seek a special resolution at the UN or establish a specialist tribunal for Uyghur Muslims?

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Will my hon. Friend look again at our relationship with China and not prioritise economic interests ahead of human rights?

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When he sees the Chinese ambassador, will my hon. Friend urge him to accept the need for an independent investigation into the treatment and detention of Uyghur people?

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What conversations has the Minister had with his counterpart in China about Uyghur people's treatment, and to coordinate an international response?

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Will my hon. Friend commit to keeping up international pressure, in particular with the incoming US Administration?

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What powers do the Government have under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and why are they slow on China compared to Belarus with Magnitsky sanctions?

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Will my hon. Friend agree that businesses should never profit from slavery and suffering, and outline steps taken to build an international coalition?

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Could the Government be clearer on exactly what they are bringing forward and when, given 39 countries are clearly not enough to stop this human rights abuse?

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My constituents in Stoke-on-Trent Central are deeply concerned and shocked by reports of forced labour of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang. Britain’s Modern Slavery Act requires big businesses to detail their anti-slavery efforts annually; however, as my hon. Friend will know, well-meaning words fall short of action. What measures are the Government taking to ensure that UK businesses are not complicit in modern-day slavery?

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I wonder whether those requirements will apply to the many organisations that have been handed covid procurement contracts by the Minister’s ministerial colleagues to lots of their different friends. What steps are the Government taking specifically to ensure integrity in those supply chains?

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I am sure that my hon. Friend will be absolutely appalled by the credible reports of forced abortions and forced sterilisation. Will he commit to taking action on this by formally and publicly condemning the population control practices of the Chinese Communist party and requesting that these cease immediately?

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China routinely breaches the international norms that we stand for, whether it be egregious trade practices, intellectual property or human rights issues such as those in Xinjiang. Will my hon. Friend outline the steps taken to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese Government?

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It has been nearly two years since the Environmental Audit Committee published its report into fast fashion. During that inquiry, we heard disturbing evidence about practices in the cotton trade in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and about bondage child labour in the cotton mills of Tamil Nadu, and there was also reference to prison camps in China as well. The Government rejected nearly all of our recommendations, including a requirement for due diligence checks on the supply chain. Does the Minister regard that as a missed opportunity, and what progress has been made in the past two years since that warning sign was raised by the Environmental Audit Committee?

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Given that the FCDO routinely engages with its Chinese counterparts, may I please ask the Minister what its reaction is when confronted with the evidence and whether diplomacy with China has any effect at all?

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Given the growing concern over the impact of disinformation emanating from Confucius Institutes, including efforts to deny that which is patently happening in Xinjiang, will the Minister and his Government colleagues be reviewing the presence of those institutions in the UK with a view to limiting their influence?