UK To Bring New Rules To Stop Imports From China's Xinjiang
- par Thibaud Popelin
- dans Monde
- — Jan 14, 2021
The US has banned imports of cotton products and tomatoes produced in China's Xinjiang region over forced labor concerns, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said on Wednesday.
Ottawa said on Tuesday that it was deeply concerned by reports alleging repression of Uighurs and other ethnic minorities by the Chinese authorities.
In December, the U.S. Congress passed the bipartisan Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act that assumes that all goods manufactured in Xinjiang are made with forced labor and therefore banned under the 1930 Tariff Act, unless the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection certifies otherwise.
Earlier on Tuesday, Britain announced similar measures.
The move is the latest by the Trump administration in its final days to harden the US position against Beijing, erecting economic penalties that would make it more hard for President-elect Joe Biden to ease U.S.
The measures also include a strengthening of the UK's Modern Slavery Act to introduce fines for businesses not complying with transparency rules, extending the act to the public sector, and an "urgent review" of export controls around Xinjiang.
China yesterday said it will take all necessary measures to safeguard sovereignty and development interests.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Tuesday announced the new measures, which the Foreign Office says are created to ensure that all British organizations "are not complicit in, nor profiting from, the human rights violations in Xinjiang".
The United Nations cites what it says are credible reports that 1 million Muslims held in camps have been put to work in Xinjiang and faith leaders, activist groups and others have said crimes against humanity, including genocide, are taking place.
"However, too often, counter-terrorism is used to justify egregious human rights violations and oppression".
The case of the Uighurs in Xinjiang is a "case in point", he added.
"These well-documented measures are inconsistent with China's obligations under worldwide human rights law".
After a speech by a British government minister at a Security Council meeting, Zhang slammed what he called a baseless "political attack". -China tensions after he takes office on January 20.
The abuses were "on an industrial scale", said British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, in strongly worded comments that will do little to improve ties with Beijing strained by its crackdown in Hong Kong.
Zhao said Britain should immediately withdraw its mistaken decision and stop interfering in China's internal affairs.
China has denied mass internments of Uighurs, saying it merely operated voluntary centres for de-radicalisation and job training and that all participants have since "graduated".
The new rules announced by Mr Raab include plans to bar British firms that inadvertently or deliberately profit from or contribute to rights violations against Uighurs.
