Lewis Thomas

Britain must take China to task for its brutal Uyghur abuse

(Getty images)

‘Horror’ conjures up several images; a fanged Dracula or a night at the cinema perhaps. But there’s a deeper kind of horror; the slow, white-hot kind that grips you in its claws. 

In hearing, over and over, testimonies to some of the most obscene violations of human rights imaginable. To look, as I have done, at China’s actions in Xinjiang, is to feel that horror in your guts, and to realise that Britain must take firmer diplomatic, economic, and political action against China.

Recently, the Uyghur Tribunal heard evidence of rape, murder, mass imprisonment, torture, slave labour, by Chinese authorities in Xinjiang. It’s happening in plain sight – the Uyghur birth rate is plummeting, and manufacturing firms share addresses with prison camps.

China is not just committing crimes against humanity, but profiting from them. Meanwhile, repression continues elsewhere, with a new security law set to come into force in Hong Kong on 1 August. 

The Chinese leadership is still traumatised by 1989: they are not in the business of liberalising

The British Government has expressed a desire to challenge China on its atrocities. There is a wish to hold ‘China to account for the egregious human rights situation in Xinjiang, including at the UN’. This accountability will be spearheaded by – based on the recent response to the BEIS Committee – reviewing export controls.

This policy is so vague as to be useless. China is committing crimes against humanity. It has to be challenged with something more than assurances and tinkering around the edges. It cannot be pressurised through the UN, due to its Security Council veto. Consequently, any response has to be based on working with our allies to challenge China abroad and on tackling Chinese influence at home.

Fundamentally, it is about blunting China’s soft-power.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Keep reading with a free trial

Subscribe and get your first month of online and app access for free. After that it’s just £1 a week.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

Or

Unlock more articles

REGISTER

Comments

Don't miss out

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.

Already a subscriber? Log in