Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Trade Sanctions on Exports from Xinjiang

Thursday 15 April 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Secretary of State spoke with the US trade representative, Katherine Tai, on 22 March to discuss how the United Kingdom and the United States will collaborate to address shared concerns on serious matters such as forced labour.
  • We are adopting a targeted approach to address violations of rights and responsibilities, designating individuals and entities involved in such violations.
  • The UK is considering steps to ensure UK consumers are not buying goods made with forced labour, in line with actions taken by the US.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Yasmin Qureshi Lab Bolton South and Walkden
Foreign Affairs Business & Trade
Context

The question arises from discussions between the UK and US regarding trade sanctions and forced labour issues in Xinjiang.

Question

What recent discussions she has had with her US counterpart on trade sanctions on exports from Xinjiang?

Answer from Ranil Jayawardena

The Secretary of State spoke with the US trade representative, Katherine Tai, on 22 March. They discussed a number of issues, including how the United Kingdom and the United States will collaborate to address shared concerns on serious matters such as forced labour.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific details about trade sanctions on exports from Xinjiang were not provided

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Q2 Yasmin Qureshi Lab Bolton South and Walkden
Foreign Affairs
Context

Following the Magnitsky-style sanctions against China, there is a need for further steps to ensure that trade relations address issues of forced labour.

Question

The Magnitsky-style sanctions against China are only the first step. While we welcome them, trade relations cannot be left out. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that UK consumers are not buying goods made with forced labour, and will the UK follow the US in banning imports of cotton from China's Xinjiang region?

Answer from Ranil Jayawardena

We are adopting a targeted approach to this issue, to make sure that we address the violations of rights and responsibilities. We have designated individuals and entities that have been involved in such violations. This is a smart tool, carefully targeted to achieve its goals, while minimising potentially negative wider impacts. It is not designed with a view to imposing sanctions on sectors within countries, for example.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps to ensure UK consumers are not buying goods made with forced labour were not detailed and no commitment was given regarding banning imports of cotton from Xinjiang as the US has done

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