UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab on Tuesday announced new measures, which, according to the Foreign Ministry, aim to ensure that all British organizations “are not complicit in or profit from human rights violations in Xinjiang “.
The UK government will also analyze which British products can be exported to Xinjiang and issue new guidelines “setting out the specific risks faced by companies with connections to Xinjiang … highlighting the challenges of effective due diligence there.”
Beijing has long advocated repression in Xinjiang as necessary to combat extremism and terrorism, and says its facilities are voluntary “training centers” where people learn vocational skills, Chinese language and laws.
“Evidence of the scale and seriousness of human rights violations perpetrated in Xinjiang against Uighur Muslims is now far-reaching,” Raab told members of parliament. He said the new measures were intended to “send a clear message that these human rights violations are unacceptable and to protect UK companies and public bodies from any involvement or link with them”.
Raab also calls for the United Nations to have access to the Xinjiang region to verify allegations of forced labor and other human rights violations.