The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights published its report on the situation in the Chinese region of Xinjiang yesterday evening. We had long been calling for this report and welcome its publication. It confirms that there is cause for the greatest concern. The carefully researched report states that widespread gravest human rights violations are taking place in Xinjiang and that there are signs of crimes against humanity against the Uighurs and other Muslim minorities.

We call on the Chinese Government to fully respect the human rights of everyone in Xinjiang with immediate effect. All persons detained arbitrarily must be released without delay. We urge the Chinese Government once again to allow a further independent investigation of these allegations regarding gravest human rights violations in China. There must be no forced labour. That is why, at national level, we have created the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and are advocating that further instruments be put in place at EU level in order to combat forced labour in supply chains. We will discuss the consequences arising from the report with our partners in the EU and in the United Nations.