What recent diplomatic steps he has taken in response to human rights abuses against (a) the Uyghurs and (b) other minorities in China.
Answered on
20 April 2021
On 22 March, under the UK’s Global Human Rights sanctions regime, the Foreign Secretary announced asset freezes and travel bans against four senior Chinese government officials and one entity responsible for the gross violations of human rights of Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang.
On 22 February, the Foreign Secretary delivered a Ministerial Statement at the UN Human Rights Council – the first time a UK Foreign Secretary has done so since 2010. He highlighted our deep concerns about the human rights violations being perpetrated against Tibetans, Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in China, and underlined the need for urgent and unfettered access to Xinjiang for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The UK also led the first two joint statements on the persecution of the Uyghurs and other minorities at the UN, and we have worked tirelessly with partners to raise the issue up the international agenda.
On 12 January, the Foreign Secretary announced robust domestic measures in respect of UK supply chains to help ensure that British businesses are not complicit in human rights violations in Xinjiang.
The Foreign Secretary has personally raised our serious concerns with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on a number of occasions.