Asked by: Nusrat Ghani (Conservative - Wealden)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 21 June 2021 to Question 15295 on Overseas Trade: China, what steps her Department plans to take in response to the sanctioning of hon. Members by the Chinese Government; what assessment she has made of the compatibility of the statement in that Answer that her Department's trade policy with China is rooted in the UK's values and interests with trade with that country in the context of the sanctioning of those hon. Members; and what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of human rights violations committed against Uyghur people in Xinjiang, China.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave her on 26th May (UIN: 5209), 7th June (UIN: 8649) and 14th June (UIN: 13118) with regard to HM Government’s response to Chinese sanctions, including on trade policy; and to those given by my Rt. hon Friend the Minister of State for Trade Policy on 24th May (UIN: 3030) and 21st June (UIN: 15295) with regard to the violations of rights in Xinjiang.
Asked by: Nusrat Ghani (Conservative - Wealden)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with refence to the commitment in the G7 Communique to work together including through our own available domestic means and multilateral institutions to protect individuals from forced labour and to ensure that global supply chains are free from the use of forced labour, what steps his Department has taken since the G7 to implement that commitment.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
G7 Trade Ministers aim to identify areas for strengthened cooperation towards the eradication of forced labour in global supply chains when they meet again in October.
We are convening a technical discussion with G7 partners to share data and evidence and develop recommendations based on best practices to prevent, identify, and eliminate forced labour in global supply chains ahead of the meeting.
Asked by: Nusrat Ghani (Conservative - Wealden)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions she has had with her European counterparts on freezing trade or bilateral trade discussions with China following the sanctions placed on hon. Members of Parliament and the EU's freezing of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
China’s attempt to silence those highlighting violations of human rights in Xinjiang is unwarranted and unacceptable. The Prime Minister has made clear that the freedom to speak out in opposition to human rights violations is fundamental and HM Government stands firmly with those who have been sanctioned. Whilst the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment is a matter for the EU, the United Kingdom will continue to work alongside the EU and other partners to send the clearest possible signal of the international community’s serious concern and our collective willingness to act.
Asked by: Nusrat Ghani (Conservative - Wealden)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the genocide determination by the US Administration in respect of the treatment by China of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.
Answered by Nigel Adams
It is the long-standing policy of the UK Government that any judgment as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent court. The US has a different process that is not linked to a court decision. The UK's approach, shared by many countries around the world, does not prevent us from taking action to address serious human rights violations, as we have done in the case of Xinjiang.
On 22 March, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK had imposed, under the Global Human Rights sanctions regime, asset freezes and travel bans against four Chinese government officials, as well as the Public Security Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. These measures were taken alongside the US, Canada and the EU, sending a clear message to the Chinese Government that the international community will not turn a blind eye to such serious and systematic violations of basic human rights.
The UK has also led international efforts to holding China to account at the United Nations. On 22 June, a global UK diplomatic effort helped deliver the support of over 40 countries for a statement on Xinjiang at the UN Human Rights Council calling on China to grant unfettered access to the region for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. We also led the first joint statements on this issue at the UN Human Rights Council in June 2020 and the UN General Assembly Third Committee in October 2019. The growing caucus of international concern reflects UK diplomatic leadership.
Asked by: Nusrat Ghani (Conservative - Wealden)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which (a) organisations, (b) Government departments, (c) Non-Governmental Organisations and (d) others attended the roundtables on forced labour in Xinjiang in March 2021.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 24 May, UIN: 3032.
Asked by: Nusrat Ghani (Conservative - Wealden)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to Answer of 14 June 2021 to Question 13118 on Trade Agreements, whether it is her policy to increase bilateral trade with China.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Our approach to China remains clear-eyed and rooted in our values and our interests. We will pursue a positive economic relationship with China, including through mutually beneficial trade, whilst adhering to our values.
China is an authoritarian state with different values to the UK. The UK consistently acts on matters on which we do not agree, including human rights. In January 2021, the government announced measures to ensure UK businesses are not complicit in human rights violations against Uyghur people in Xinjiang.
We are committed to making the global trading system free and fair. We will call out unfair trading practices wherever they arise. Some market-distorting economic practices undermine the functioning of the global trading system and prevent free and fair trade. It is in everyone’s interest, including China’s, to see this system strengthened.
Asked by: Nusrat Ghani (Conservative - Wealden)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 7th June 2021 to Question 8649 on Trade Agreements, what impact, if any, sanctions placed upon Members of the UK Parliament by the People’s Republic of China have had on trade policy.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The Prime Minister has made clear that the freedom of Parliamentarians to speak out in opposition to violations of rights and responsibilities is fundamental, and that is why HM Government stands firmly with all those who have been sanctioned.
Our approach to China is rooted in our values and interests. We want a mutually beneficial trading relationship, but we will not sacrifice our values, and we have no plans to negotiate a trade deal with China.
Asked by: Nusrat Ghani (Conservative - Wealden)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what measures are in place to ensure that her Department adheres to sanctions placed on the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) by the Government under the Global Human Rights Regulations.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
Under the Global Human Rights Regulations, British businesses must comply with sanctions against the individuals and entities appearing on a regularly updated GOV.UK list. Businesses continue to be notified about sanctions and designated persons too.
On 22nd March, HM Government took the significant step of imposing asset freezes and travel bans against four senior Chinese officials as well as the Public Security Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps responsible for the serious violations of rights and responsibilities that take place in Xinjiang.
The United Kingdom will continue to work alongside its international partners to send the clearest possible signal of the international community’s serious concern and our collective willingness to act on this issue.
Asked by: Nusrat Ghani (Conservative - Wealden)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his sanctioning of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps XPCC, what penalties apply to UK-based companies that continue to contract with the XPCC.
Answered by Nigel Adams
On 22 March, we imposed sanctions under the Global Human Rights sanctions regime against the Public Security Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, along with four senior Chinese officials responsible for the serious human rights violations that take place in Xinjiang.
Full details of the prohibitions put in place by financial sanctions can be found in the General Guidance for Financial Sanctions published by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/961516/General_Guidance_-_UK_Financial_Sanctions.pdf. Breaching financial sanctions is a criminal offence and may result in a prosecution or a monetary penalty. The maximum value of a monetary penalty ranges from 50% of the value of total breach, or £1 million - whichever is the greater value.
Asked by: Nusrat Ghani (Conservative - Wealden)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the viability of the route to court determination regarding alleged genocide and crimes against humanity perpetrated by the People's Republic of China against Uyghurs and other predominantly Turkic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, if he will review his policy on genocide determination.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Government remains deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang, and continues to monitor closely the significant volume of credible evidence suggesting that serious, systemic human rights violations are occurring in the region. On 22 March, we took the significant step of imposing asset freezes and travel bans against four senior Chinese officials as well as a security body responsible for the egregious human rights violations. By acting with 30 other countries we increased the reach and impact of these measures and sent the clearest possible signal of the international community's serious concern and collective willingness to act. It remains the long-standing policy of the UK Government that any judgment as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. It should be decided after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible judicial process.