Chinese Foreign Minister Pledges to Uphold Forced Labor Commitments
China plans to adhere to all aspects of its recent investment deal with the European Union, including ratifying international conventions on forced labor, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a March 7 news conference, according to an interpreter. “I can say it explicitly that China will honor its commitment in the agreement including making efforts to ratify International Labor Organizations (rules),” Wang said. Forced labor concerns have permeated European Union parliamentarians' thinking on the EU-China investment deal, and it is widely seen that certain provisions of the agreement will make parts of the deal unenforceable, including on forced labor (see 2101250052).
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Wang also expressed a desire for better China-EU relations for a host of challenges and reciprocity for its implementation of the agreement. “We trust that the EU will also implement its commitments under the agreement,” Wang said. “All in all, we stand ready to work with the EU to face up to global challenges, both international efforts and pandemic response, economic recovery and climate change and add more stability to international relations.”