Beijing and Hong Kong hit out at US report criticising city’s efforts to combat human trafficking despite improved rating
- Annual Trafficking in Persons Report by US State Department cites national security law in claiming civil groups are muted in engaging with authorities on such matters
- It, however, upgrades city from a watchlist, pointing to increased prosecution and education
Beijing’s foreign affairs office and Hong Kong on Friday rebutted a US report criticising anti-human-trafficking measures in the city despite an improved rating, with state authorities accusing Washington of using human rights as a “tool of stigmatisation”.
In the annual Trafficking in Persons Report released on Thursday by the US State Department, Hong Kong was upgraded to Tier 2 after being placed on a watchlist in the same category for three years.
Efforts cited for Hong Kong’s upgrade included an increase in investigations and prosecutions of traffickers, more victims being identified, the designation of a cyber hotline targeting employment scams, as well as the promotion of public awareness on overseas employment scams.
However, the report remained critical of what it said were Hong Kong’s inadequate measures to protect foreign domestic helpers. It also pointed to the national security law in claiming civil groups were muted in engaging with authorities on human trafficking.
A spokesman for Beijing’s foreign affairs office in Hong Kong on Friday expressed firm opposition in a statement, accusing the report of maliciously slandering China with political prejudice and using human rights as a “tool of stigmatisation”.
“We urge the US to change its course, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs in any form and under any pretext, and stop maliciously slandering the rule of law and human rights in Hong Kong,” the spokesman warned.
The Hong Kong government said it “strongly disapproves of and firmly rejects the unsubstantiated remarks”, adding that human trafficking was never a prevalent problem and there were no signs pointing to the city being used by syndicates as a destination or transit point.