China: UN report undermines credibility of government commitments on forced labour

Even with the government's definitive ratification of two ILO conventions on forced labour in August 2022, and despite Chinese denials, recent reports are highlighting the reality of forced labour being imposed on the Uyghur community. The ILO texts join with several initiatives, such as that of the United States, aimed at banning products from Xinjiang, which is a model that the European Union is partially following with a draft regulation that was presented on 14 September.
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The International Labour Organization (ILO) warmly welcomed the announcement in April 2022 of China’s move to ratify both ILO fundamental conventions on forced labour. The effective ratification on 12 August 2022 was hailed by the ILO as “a crucial opportunity to promote renewed momentum and further efforts by the government and the social partners in China to combat forced labour and support human-centred development and decent work in the second largest economy in the world.” However the prog

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