China dismisses UN experts’ forced labour concerns as ‘groundless’

Beijing – China on Jan 23 dismissed concerns from UN experts over the scale and severity of allegations of forced labour affecting minority groups, calling them “fundamentally groundless”.

UN special rapporteurs and other experts said on Jan 22 there were “persistent” allegations of state-imposed forced labour affecting ethnic minorities within the far-western Xinjiang region and other parts of China.

When asked about the comments, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry said that “slander cannot be tolerated”.

“The so-called concerns of certain experts are entirely fabricated and fundamentally groundless,” spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters at a regular press briefing.

“We urge the experts... (to) perform their duties impartially and objectively and not be reduced to serve as tools and accomplices of anti-China forces,” he added.

The UN experts said in a joint statement that forced labour was being enabled through a state-mandated “poverty alleviation through labour transfer” programme, which, according to them, coerces Uighurs and members of other minority groups into jobs in Xinjiang and other regions.

They also said Tibetans were subject to forced labour through similar schemes, estimating about 650,000 people were affected by labour transfers in 2024.

Beijing has repeatedly and vehemently denied accusations of human rights abuses against the Uighurs, saying that these initiatives reduce poverty by providing well-paying jobs for low-income rural residents.

UN special rapporteurs are independent experts mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to report their findings. They do not, therefore, speak on the UN’s behalf.

Mr Guo said on Jan 23 that the development and progress in Xinjiang and Tibet are “evident to all”. AFP