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DPA
London
The British government will tighten its modern anti-slavery laws to punish businesses with links to the alleged abuse of Muslim minorities in China, including Uighurs.
There was “far-reaching evidence” of abuse against the Uighur Muslims who live in Xinjiang, a province in China’s far west, said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Tuesday.
The focus of the government’s action is ensuring that products made with forced labour do not enter global supply chains.
Raab unveiled four measures that should prevent Britain’s private and public sector from “deliberately or inadvertently” profiting from or contributing to abusive labour.
They include fines for businesses that fail to meet their statutory obligations to publish an annual modern slavery statement; new guidance for businesses that outline the risks faced by companies with links to Xinjiang; and a review of regulations surrounding exports to Xinjiang.
Furthermore, the transparency requirements that apply to British businesses under the UK Slavery Act will now also apply to public sector firms.
Experts have estimated at least 1 million Uighurs, Kazakhs, Huis and other minorities have been placed in political indoctrination camps for seemingly arbitrary reasons such as praying or travelling abroad.
Claims have been made people are being forced to work while the women have been sterilised or fitted with contraceptive devices to prevent them from having children, according to a report published by German scholar Adrian Zenz last summer.
The Chinese government initially denied the camps existence and then said they were boarding schools.
They have denied the accusations over slave labour, sterilisation and contraceptives.
London
The British government will tighten its modern anti-slavery laws to punish businesses with links to the alleged abuse of Muslim minorities in China, including Uighurs.
There was “far-reaching evidence” of abuse against the Uighur Muslims who live in Xinjiang, a province in China’s far west, said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Tuesday.
The focus of the government’s action is ensuring that products made with forced labour do not enter global supply chains.
Raab unveiled four measures that should prevent Britain’s private and public sector from “deliberately or inadvertently” profiting from or contributing to abusive labour.
They include fines for businesses that fail to meet their statutory obligations to publish an annual modern slavery statement; new guidance for businesses that outline the risks faced by companies with links to Xinjiang; and a review of regulations surrounding exports to Xinjiang.
Furthermore, the transparency requirements that apply to British businesses under the UK Slavery Act will now also apply to public sector firms.
Experts have estimated at least 1 million Uighurs, Kazakhs, Huis and other minorities have been placed in political indoctrination camps for seemingly arbitrary reasons such as praying or travelling abroad.
Claims have been made people are being forced to work while the women have been sterilised or fitted with contraceptive devices to prevent them from having children, according to a report published by German scholar Adrian Zenz last summer.
The Chinese government initially denied the camps existence and then said they were boarding schools.
They have denied the accusations over slave labour, sterilisation and contraceptives.
