Human Rights Watch is calling out French President Emmanuel Macron to stop treating human rights like some separate checkbox when dealing with China. The group wants him to integrate rights concerns into broader policy talks during his visit to Beijing, specifically addressing forced labor in supply chains, Chinese-made commercial drones getting used by Russia against Ukrainian civilians, and Beijing's habit of going after critics who live abroad.
The watchdog pointed out that France and the EU keep splitting economic stuff from rights issues when they talk to China, which needs to change. They highlighted cases like Shein workers getting exploited with crazy hours and terrible pay, plus forced labor hitting Uyghur and Turkic Muslim communities in industries like cotton and solar. The EU banned forced-labor products starting in late 2027.
They also mentioned how a Chinese student studying in France got arrested back home for her Tibet activism and could face serious prison time. Macron could use this trip to push Chinese companies to stop selling drones to sanctioned buyers and make sure Beijing respects international labor standards.
The watchdog pointed out that France and the EU keep splitting economic stuff from rights issues when they talk to China, which needs to change. They highlighted cases like Shein workers getting exploited with crazy hours and terrible pay, plus forced labor hitting Uyghur and Turkic Muslim communities in industries like cotton and solar. The EU banned forced-labor products starting in late 2027.
They also mentioned how a Chinese student studying in France got arrested back home for her Tibet activism and could face serious prison time. Macron could use this trip to push Chinese companies to stop selling drones to sanctioned buyers and make sure Beijing respects international labor standards.
