Economic Cooperation: China

(asked on 17th January 2022) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will put on hold the 11th session of the UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue in the context of the conclusions of the Uyghur Tribunal that the Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims are subject to human rights abuses and Crimes Against Humanity.


Answered by
John Glen Portrait
John Glen
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
This question was answered on 20th January 2022

The UK has led international efforts to hold China to account for its human rights violations in Xinjiang at the UN. We have imposed sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, on senior Chinese officials and taken steps to help ensure that no UK organisations are complicit in these violations through their supply chains.

However, we can also pursue an economic relationship with China in a safe, mutually beneficial way without compromising our values. UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogues (EFDs) provide a key mechanism for doing this. We have always been clear that our economic relationship does not come at the expense of human rights, and where we have concerns, we will continue to speak out and act.

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