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The Independent
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Britain risks being ‘dumping ground' for forced labour goods, MPs warn
From 'Italian' tomato puree to solar panels, Britain risks becoming a ' dumping ground ' for goods made with Chinese forced labour, Parliament 's human rights watchdog has warned. The products are linked to forced labour in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where thousands are made to work under threat and guard. These goods then enter UK supermarkets and energy firms. The new report, from parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), found that the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the key framework governing forced labour, has no 'enforceable legislation' to actually stop such products entering the UK market. Unlike Westminster, key markets like the European Union and the United States have stronger laws to enforce bans on forced labour. This means that the goods are more likely to come to the UK. 'We are the weakest protected now in Europe,' former Conservative party leader and current co-chair of Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) Sir Iain Duncan Smith told The Independent. 'People like Ed Miliband [Energy and Net Zero Secretary] are desperate for cheaper product and they don't want to have to have it slowed up or inaccessible.' 'Such is your desperation to get product in that you don't care what else you're going to attract.' The EU takes an enhanced due diligence approach, and the US takes a hardline approach where parts or goods made in Xinjiang are assumed to be made with forced labour unless proven otherwise. The cross-party group called on ministers to put in place the necessary due diligence and penalties to establish legal duty rather than the existing 'voluntary approach'. It said the government needed to determine who is responsible for preventing the import of tainted goods and what happens if they are confiscated. 'The UK's lack of equivalent legislation puts the UK at risk of becoming a dumping ground for goods that cannot be sold elsewhere,' the report said. But experts warn that even if ministers put these in place, due diligence is not a guarantee. 'The ability of UK companies to actually do due diligence and to police this is basically non-existent, which is why you're seeing this approach taken in the US,' Evan Fowler of IPAC, told The Independent. 'Not only has Beijing stopped publishing data that had previously been used by researchers to build a picture of what is happening, but the forced labour programme has likely been expanded,' Mr Fowler added, referencing a scheme which moves tens of thousands of people from Xinjiang to work in eastern factories. The report comes after a BBC investigation found 17 tomato products sold in UK supermarkets were likely made from tomatoes grown and picked in Xinjiang fields with forced labour. The supermarkets contested the findings. About a third of the world's tomatoes are grown in China and Xinjiang has the perfect climate for them. 'Cargo flights are permitted to bring goods directly from the capital of Xinjiang to the UK unhindered,' the JCHR said. Concerns have also been raised over base materials used to make solar panels imported into the UK - metallurgical grade silicon (MGS) and polysilicon. Xinjiang accounts for about 35 percent of the world's polysilicon and 32 percent of the world's MGS, according to a 2023 report on the Uyghur region and solar panels. In April the government passed an amendment to the Great British Energy Bill to ban forced labour in its supply chains - which drew similar criticism for its lack of due diligence or penalties. It was also criticised for not covering private solar farms, who are eligible for generous state subsidies through Contracts For Difference. 'The government seems to turn a blind eye to slave labour,' Sir Iain told The Independent. However, tracing products back to their true origin is often complicated by a lack of transparency from producers. Firms often split their supply between countries to claim tainted products go elsewhere or choose not to disclose where parts were sourced. Some constituents who ask where solar panels are sourced are falsely told they are made in Germany, Sir Iain told The Independent. 'Well, they're not made in Germany. It's just that the company producing them, they have a middle man. So that disguises where they came from. They never declare that they came from China.' China also increasingly frames due diligence as a national security threat, experts say. 'China is broadening the scope of what it considers to be national security sensitive when it comes to due diligence,' Andrew Yeh, Executive Director of the China Strategic Risks Institute, told The Independent. 'So anyone who is trying to trace which companies are involved or whether their supply chains are linked or not, are potentially crossing the Chinese government's red lines when it comes to how it thinks and defines national security.' Sir Keir Starmer's Government has sought to balance a revival of relations with Beijing in its pursuit of growth with matters of national security amid concerns about Chinese interference in Britain and human rights concerns. China has denied accusations it is subjecting the Uyghur minority to forced labour.
Global News
7 days ago
- Health
- Global News
West Nile virus is back. Where it's been found, and what you should know
West Nile virus has returned to Canada for another season, with detections in mosquitoes in multiple regions of Ontario in the past week, including in Toronto. Niagara Region Public Health confirmed Tuesday that West Nile virus had been detected in mosquitoes in Welland, Ont., while Toronto and York Region reported their first positive cases in the insects late last week. No human cases of the virus have been reported in Canada as of Wednesday, but that isn't stopping health-care professionals from urging caution. 'Nobody wants to get bit by mosquitoes, whether or not they're causing fever,' said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious diseases specialist at Toronto General Hospital. What are the symptoms of West Nile virus? West Nile virus first arrived in Canada in August 2002, according to Infection Prevention and Control Canada (IPAC). Story continues below advertisement IPAC says the virus primarily infects birds and is then spread to humans by mosquitoes that have fed on the blood of those birds. Though no human cases have been reported in Canada so far this year, Bogoch said they are typically seen in mid- to late summer and into early fall. In those that the virus does infect, about 70 to 80 per cent may not even realize they have it, as they will have no symptoms. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy But those who do will typically experience symptoms like a fever, a headache, body aches, a mild rash and swollen lymph glands. The symptoms usually appear within two to 15 days after infection. 2:26 West Nile Virus due to spread to remote areas of Quebec due to climate change The Public Health Agency of Canada says less than one per cent of people infected with the virus will develop severe symptoms and health effects. Story continues below advertisement PHAC says people 50 years and older, those with chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease, and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of severe symptoms. In severe cases, people can face the rapid onset of a severe headache, a high fever, a stiff neck, nausea or vomiting, difficulty swallowing, drowsiness or confusion. PHAC says loss of consciousness, lack of co-ordination, muscle weakness or paralysis are also possible in severe cases. 'Rarely it can cause neurologic manifestations and that can be more severe,' Bogoch said. 'It can cause inflammation of the brain, inflammation of the area around the brain and spinal cord, a meningitis-type picture, and then it can also rarely cause a paralysis-type syndrome that's really reminiscent of polio.' Canadian Family Physician, the official publication of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, notes that three to 15 per cent of those with severe illness can die. 'It's extremely rare, but again it's no laughing matter,' Bogoch said. Mild cases typically take a week to recover, but PHAC says some severe cases could see a variety of health effects that could last months to years after illness. People who develop symptoms of West Nile after being bitten by a mosquito are urged to see their health-care provider immediately. Story continues below advertisement What can you do? The risk of becoming infected with West Nile virus starts in mid-April and lasts typically until the first hard frost in either late September or October. The highest risk period for humans is between mid-July and early September, with mosquitoes often most active at dawn and dusk. PHAC says when outside, people should cover exposed skin by wearing long pants and loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts, socks and a hat. People should also wear light-coloured clothing, as PHAC notes mosquitoes are attracted to dark colours. People are also encouraged to use insect repellents containing DEET or icaridin, which can also help prevent bites. The health agency says Canadians can also take steps to reduce mosquitoes near their home, namely by getting rid of standing water around their home and putting screens on their windows and doors. Story continues below advertisement However, while West Nile can be a concern, Bogoch says it shouldn't prevent Canadians from enjoying the summer, whether they're at the beach, at a cottage or enjoying summer camp. 'We should be outside and enjoying it as much as possible, because winter is unfortunately around the corner as well,' he said. 'But no reason to hide indoors because of this. Just go outside, have a wonderful time, be aware that they're there.'
The Diplomat
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Diplomat
China's Position on Russia and Ukraine Is a Warning to the West and the Pacific
Wang Yi's remarks confirm what many have long suspected: China's interests are best served not by stability, peace, or sovereignty, but by a prolonged conflict. The recent revelation that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told EU leaders that Beijing does not want to see Russia lose its war in Ukraine is not just a diplomatic slip; it is a moment of clarity. Behind closed doors, China has dropped the mask of neutrality and revealed a sobering truth: it views a Russian defeat not as a moral failure or geopolitical catastrophe, but as a threat to its own strategic ambitions. This quiet admission, made to the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, cuts sharply against Beijing's carefully curated public stance. China claims it is a disinterested bystander in the Ukraine conflict. However, Wang's remarks confirm what many in global diplomatic circles have long suspected: China's interests are best served not by stability, peace, or sovereignty, but by a distracted, divided, and weakened West. To understand why, we must revisit the so-called 'no limits' partnership between China and Russia, announced just weeks before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Although not a formal military alliance, this strategic pact underscores a shared worldview. Both nations resent the dominance of liberal democracies and seek to reshape the global order in their own authoritarian image. Since the invasion, China has supported Russia's economy through trade, provided diplomatic cover in international forums, and participated in joint military exercises. At the same time, it continues to claim neutrality, masking its support for Russia behind the guise of plausible deniability. Wang's frank admission reveals the deeper logic behind this alignment. If Russia collapses in Ukraine, the United States and its allies will be free to pivot fully toward the Indo-Pacific and focus on deterring China's growing assertiveness, especially regarding Taiwan. In this strategic calculation, the prolongation of war, and the suffering it causes, is considered an acceptable cost if it keeps the West overextended. This is a profoundly cynical and destabilizing position. It confirms that, in the eyes of China's leadership, values such as territorial integrity, international law, and the protection of civilians are expendable. It also exposes a chilling willingness to allow or even encourage ongoing conflict if doing so creates space for China to advance its own interests. As an alumna of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), I have worked alongside legislators from democracies large and small who see this moment for what it truly is: a test. China is not simply observing how the West responds to Russia's invasion. It is studying our unity, our resilience, and our tolerance for risk. The outcome in Ukraine will directly influence Beijing's decisions regarding Taiwan and its broader conduct across the Indo-Pacific. In the Pacific, this challenge is no longer hypothetical. It is unfolding in real time. Through cyber influence operations and debt-leveraged infrastructure projects with potential military uses, Beijing is actively reshaping the region's strategic landscape. For small island developing states, whose survival depends on the integrity of international law and multilateral institutions, any erosion of those norms poses a direct threat to sovereignty and self-determination. This is why continued support for Ukraine is not solely about defending the right of a European nation to exist. It is about upholding a global order that protects all nations, especially those that are small and vulnerable. If Ukraine is forced into a territorial compromise, or if the West retreats under pressure, it will send a dangerous message to authoritarian powers everywhere: that aggression is effective, that might makes right, and that democracies lack the resolve for prolonged resistance. China's leaders are betting on that retreat. Wang Yi's comments were not an error in diplomacy. They were an intentional signal. It is now the responsibility of all of us, from Brussels to the Blue Pacific, to respond with unity, determination, and an unshakeable commitment to the values that have preserved peace for generations. If we fail to meet this moment, the next confrontation may arrive much closer to home.
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First Post
29-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
China 'plotted staged car crash' targeting Taiwan VP during Prague visit, Czech intelligence says
Taiwan's vice-president, Hsiao Bi-khim, says she won't be intimidated after Czech intelligence revealed an alleged Chinese plot to stage a car crash during her visit to Prague last year, report says. read more Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim speaks during a meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) in Taipei on July 30, 2024. Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te said July 30 "a threat from China to any country is a threat to the world", emphasizing to lawmakers of more than 20 countries that global democracies must unite against "authoritarian expansion". (Photo by Sam Yeh / AFP) Taiwan's vice-president, Hsiao Bi-khim, visited the Czech Republic in March 2024, marking the first overseas trip by her and Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-te, after winning the election in January. At the time, reports emerged that a Chinese diplomat had run a red light while following her police-escorted car from the airport. Now, Prague intelligence officials have told local media that the incident was part of a much larger and escalating plan by Chinese diplomats and intelligence officers working out of the Chinese embassy in Prague. The plan allegedly included staging a car crash involving Hsiao's convoy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On Saturday, Hsiao thanked Czech authorities for ensuring her safety during the visit. 'The CCP's unlawful activities will NOT intimidate me from voicing Taiwan's interests in the international community,' she said in a social media post. Hsiao has insisted she will not be intimidated following reports from Czech intelligence that Chinese officials planned to stage a collision during her visit to Prague last year. The new details of the alleged plot were revealed on Thursday by the Czech public radio service, Irozhlas. Petr Bartovský, director of the Czech military intelligence service, told Irozhlas that the driver stopped by police was only following Hsiao. However, he said his service also discovered plans, directed from the Chinese embassy, to 'demonstratively confront Ms Hsiao.' Jan Pejšek, a spokesperson for the intelligence service, said the plan involved an 'attempt by the Chinese civil secret service to create conditions for a demonstrative kinetic action against a protected person, which, however, did not go beyond the phase of preparation.' Czech reporters said this was understood to mean staging a collision with Hsiao's car. Pejšek added that the activities of the Chinese agents 'went so far as to endanger' Hsiao. 'These activities, which flagrantly breach the obligations arising from the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, were conducted, among others, by individuals holding diplomatic posts at the Chinese embassy in Prague,' he said. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council on Friday condemned the alleged actions by China, saying they 'seriously threatened the personal safety of Vice-President Hsiao and her entourage,' and demanded an explanation and a public apology. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, denied any wrongdoing, saying Chinese diplomats 'always observe the laws and regulations of host countries.' Guo accused the Czech government of 'grossly interfering in China's internal affairs' by allowing Hsiao to visit and labelled her a 'diehard Taiwan independence separatist' — a designation for which China has previously threatened the death penalty.
CBC
29-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
30 MPs accepted $230K in free travel last year, mostly for trips to Taiwan
Social Sharing Members of Parliament accepted more than $230,000 in flights, hotels and gifts from foreign governments, advocacy groups and private companies last year according to an annual report from the conflict of interest and ethics commissioner. Konrad von Finckenstein's report on the sponsored travel accepted by MPs for 2024 reveals that 30 MPs accepted trips to locations around the world including Colombia, the Ivory Coast, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, France and Germany. But more than half of the $230,000 in travel accepted by federal legislators was paid for by Taiwan, which spent just over $126,000 bringing MPs to their country. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) separately paid just over $11,000 to bring Bloc Québécois MP Yves Perron to Taiwan, and almost $1,400 to bring former independent MP Kevin Vuong to that country. IPAC does not accept money from governments. Instead it relies on donations from private foundations and organizations that are onside with IPAC's efforts to counter the global influence of the Chinese Communist Party. While the standing orders of the House of Commons prohibit MPs from accepting gifts or benefits that could influence their activities as federal legislators, an exception is made when it comes to travel. The standing orders say that a member can accept sponsored travel over $200 when the resulting trip relates to their job, providing they publicly disclose the value of the trip within 60 days of returning home. The $230,000 total for 2024 marks a sharp decline from 2023 when MPs accepted more than $840,000 in sponsored travel. In total the 30 MPs accepted $1,796 in gifts, $10,417 in "other" travel benefits, $41,144 in accommodations and $177,369 in travel costs. The cost of travel to Taiwan Of the 38 trips taken by the 30 MPs on Finckenstein's list, the single most expensive journey was a six-day trip to Taiwan taken last May by Liberal MP Judy Sgro. That trip cost Taiwan's taxpayers a total of $17,172. Sgro accepted the most travel of any MP in 2024. Including Taiwan, and her two trips to Paris, Sgro accepted more than $24,000 in sponsored travel. The 15 trips to Taiwan make up a disproportionately large share of the overall cost of sponsored trips because of the high cost of airfares. The value of sponsored airfares to Taiwan's capital, Taipei, for example, range in price from just under $6,000 to just over $15,000. The only exception to that was Vuong's $200 transportation costs to Taipei. Other notable trips include former Liberal MP Omar Alghabra's trip to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to attend a clean energy conference. That trip cost just over $9,000 and was paid for by Ontario Tech University. Liberal MP James Maloney accepted an $8,608 trip to Ukraine sponsored by the Yalta European Strategy, an annual conference held in Ukraine. The conference also paid $6,173 to bring over Liberal MP Yvan Baker. Former Liberal MP Chandra Arya, who was dropped as the candidate in the Ottawa riding of Nepean days before the election call, accepted a $5,905 government-sponsored trip to Bangladesh and a $5,742 trip to Côte d'Ivoire paid for by the World Bank.
