The US, Britain and other countries on Thursday called for the International Labour Organisation to set up a mission to probe alleged labour abuses in China’s Xinjiang and urged Beijing to allow unfettered access.
A committee at the UN agency is addressing China’s compliance with global labour standards after describing its practices in the western region of Xinjiang as discriminatory in February, ILO documents showed. Thursday’s meeting comes just days after the end of a trip by UN High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet to Xinjiang that has been widely criticised by both civil society and UN member states including the US.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken said in March that China “continues to commit genocide and crimes against humanity” against mostly Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
A so-called tripartite mission, if accepted by the ILO committee, could shine a light on allegations that Uyghurs have been unlawfully detained, mistreated and forced to work. China denies the accusations.
