GENEVA (Reuters) – A committee of the U.N.’s International Labour Organization (ILO) has called for a mission to further review China’s labour policies in Xinjiang where rights groups allege forced labour of Muslim Uyghurs, two sources said on Thursday.
However, the so-called “technical advisory mission” would fall short of a higher-level mission with investigative powers sought by several countries including the United States and Britain.
Instead, the mission would facilitate dialogue and help China align its practices with international practices, the sources said.
An ILO spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The ILO meets on Saturday to formalise its recommendation.
The ILO committee expressed “deep concern” earlier this year about China’s policies in the far western region of Xinjiang where rights groups allege that Muslim Uyghurs are made to do forced and prison labour.
China denies the accusations. Beijing said during meetings last week that its laws, regulations and practices are fully in line with the principles of a Convention on Discrimination.
The concerns were formally raised by member states and a worker group in the ILO meeting last week, and the committee has been mulling action since then.
Beijing in April approved the ratification of two conventions on forced labour but they have not yet submitted the full documentation needed to take effect and the ILO cannot therefore evaluate its compliance with those texts.
(Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
