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| US human trafficking report promotes Myanmar but demotes China | US human trafficking report promotes Myanmar but demotes China |
| (7 months later) | |
| State Department’s annual report rewards Myanmar for efforts against recruitment of child soldiers, but says China not doing enough to end trafficking | |
| Associated Press | |
| Tue 27 Jun 2017 17.42 BST | |
| Last modified on Fri 14 Jul 2017 17.49 BST | |
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| The US asserted on Tuesday that Myanmar is no longer one of the world’s worst offenders on human trafficking, removing it and Iraq from a list of countries that use child soldiers. | The US asserted on Tuesday that Myanmar is no longer one of the world’s worst offenders on human trafficking, removing it and Iraq from a list of countries that use child soldiers. |
| But in its annual Trafficking in Persons report, the State Department also demoted China to the lowest ranking over its trafficking record, putting it in the same category as North Korea, Zimbabwe and Syria. | But in its annual Trafficking in Persons report, the State Department also demoted China to the lowest ranking over its trafficking record, putting it in the same category as North Korea, Zimbabwe and Syria. |
| Afghanistan was recognised for taking steps to curb trafficking, while Iraq was seen as making insufficient progress on that issue. | Afghanistan was recognised for taking steps to curb trafficking, while Iraq was seen as making insufficient progress on that issue. |
| Ivanka Trump, the senior White House adviser and daughter of President Donald Trump, said ending human trafficking was in both the moral and strategic interests of the US, describing the effort as a “major foreign policy priority” for the administration. | Ivanka Trump, the senior White House adviser and daughter of President Donald Trump, said ending human trafficking was in both the moral and strategic interests of the US, describing the effort as a “major foreign policy priority” for the administration. |
| The US secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, said the roughly 20 million victims of human trafficking globally illustrate how much more work must be done. | The US secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, said the roughly 20 million victims of human trafficking globally illustrate how much more work must be done. |
| “Regrettably, our challenge is enormous,” Tillerson said. “Human trafficking is becoming more nuanced and more difficult to identify. Much of these activities are going underground, and they’re going online.” | “Regrettably, our challenge is enormous,” Tillerson said. “Human trafficking is becoming more nuanced and more difficult to identify. Much of these activities are going underground, and they’re going online.” |
| Myanmar was promoted for its efforts against recruitment of child soldiers and its first prosecution of government officials under a human trafficking law. The south-east Asian nation had been demoted to the lowest tier last year, shortly after it shifted to civilian government, ending decades of oppressive military rule. | Myanmar was promoted for its efforts against recruitment of child soldiers and its first prosecution of government officials under a human trafficking law. The south-east Asian nation had been demoted to the lowest tier last year, shortly after it shifted to civilian government, ending decades of oppressive military rule. |
| Myanmar’s elevation is a boost for Aung San Suu Kyi’s administration, which is facing growing criticism from human rights groups. The political transition in the country has been a bumpy one as it wrestles with ethnic conflict and deep-seated discrimination against its Rohingya Muslim minority. | Myanmar’s elevation is a boost for Aung San Suu Kyi’s administration, which is facing growing criticism from human rights groups. The political transition in the country has been a bumpy one as it wrestles with ethnic conflict and deep-seated discrimination against its Rohingya Muslim minority. |
| The demotion of China was a particular surprise this year, marking the first major, public rebuke of Beijing’s human rights record by the Trump administration, which has generally avoided direct, public criticism of the country while seeking its help on North Korea. | The demotion of China was a particular surprise this year, marking the first major, public rebuke of Beijing’s human rights record by the Trump administration, which has generally avoided direct, public criticism of the country while seeking its help on North Korea. |
| The US said that not only was China not meeting minimum standards to stop trafficking, it also was “not making significant efforts to do so”. The report also said there were indications that China’s government was still complicit in forced labour, including in some drug rehabilitation centres. The US said China’s efforts to prosecute traffickers had also fallen. | The US said that not only was China not meeting minimum standards to stop trafficking, it also was “not making significant efforts to do so”. The report also said there were indications that China’s government was still complicit in forced labour, including in some drug rehabilitation centres. The US said China’s efforts to prosecute traffickers had also fallen. |
| China’s foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said it strongly opposed the US using its domestic laws to attack another country’s record, and maintained that the results of Beijing’s anti-human trafficking efforts are “obvious for everyone to see”. | China’s foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said it strongly opposed the US using its domestic laws to attack another country’s record, and maintained that the results of Beijing’s anti-human trafficking efforts are “obvious for everyone to see”. |
| “As we have said repeatedly, no country has the right to speak irresponsibly on China’s domestic affairs,” Lu said ahead of the report’s official launch. | “As we have said repeatedly, no country has the right to speak irresponsibly on China’s domestic affairs,” Lu said ahead of the report’s official launch. |
| “China’s government’s commitment to fighting human trafficking has been resolute and our results have been obvious for everyone to see,” he said, adding that China is willing to work with other countries “on the basis of mutual respect” to combat global human trafficking. | “China’s government’s commitment to fighting human trafficking has been resolute and our results have been obvious for everyone to see,” he said, adding that China is willing to work with other countries “on the basis of mutual respect” to combat global human trafficking. |
| Human Rights Watch said removing Myanmar was premature, and undermined US credibility in ending the use of children in warfare. The group said the UN documented child recruitment by Myanmar’s armed forces in 2016. | Human Rights Watch said removing Myanmar was premature, and undermined US credibility in ending the use of children in warfare. The group said the UN documented child recruitment by Myanmar’s armed forces in 2016. |
| The annual TiP report ranks countries in a three-tier system on their effectiveness in tackling human trafficking and other forms of slavery. | The annual TiP report ranks countries in a three-tier system on their effectiveness in tackling human trafficking and other forms of slavery. |
| Employment | |
| Modern-day slavery in focus | |
| Myanmar | |
| China | |
| South and Central Asia | |
| Asia Pacific | |
| US politics | |
| news | |
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