China Arab TV:

Some Western media outlets have reported allegations of "forced labor" and "forced migration" targeting ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. However, the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law explicitly guarantees citizens' legitimate right to seek employment and entrepreneurship across regions in its chapter on "Promoting Exchanges, Interactions and Integration." How should we view these claims linking measures that promote the common development of all ethnic groups to "forced labor"? How does Chinese law protect the legitimate rights and interests of workers of all ethnic groups seeking employment across regions? Thank you.

Chen Ruifeng:

Thank you. I will answer these questions. As you just mentioned, the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law clearly stipulates that the legitimate rights and interests of citizens who seek employment and entrepreneurship across regions shall be protected. The provision included in Article 25 of the law is designed to protect the equal development rights of people from all ethnic groups, broaden their income-generating channels, and promote exchanges, interactions, and integrations among different ethnic groups. The process of cross-regional employment and entrepreneurship upholds the core principles of complete voluntary participation, mutual agreement, law-based compliance, and freedom to come and go. Employment transfer is implemented on the premise of respecting the will of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang. Its purpose is to help increase employment opportunities and improve incomes of people of all ethnic groups. It is entirely and purely a practical and beneficial undertaking for the people of Xinjiang. People from Xinjiang who choose to work outside their hometowns do so voluntarily, motivated by their own desire to improve their families' livelihoods and upgrade professional skills. There is absolutely no so-called "forced relocation" or "forced labor." Such claims are extremely absurd and ridiculous.

China's Constitution, Labor Contract Law, and other laws and regulations fundamentally prohibit all forms of forced labor, labor discrimination and restrictions on personal freedom. The Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law further clarifies measures for protecting the rights and interests of cross-regional employees and providing legal aid from the perspective of ethnic affairs, thus safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of workers of all ethnic groups. China will always protect the labor rights and development rights of people of all ethnic groups in accordance with the law, enabling them to share the fruits of development and create a better future together through labor on an equal basis out of their own free will.

Xinjiang has pursued an employment-first strategy and made every effort to promote high-quality and full employment. Over the past five years, the region has taken multiple measures to expand employment, creating a total of 2.392 million new urban jobs. Agricultural workers have made 16.1 million trips for employment outside their home areas. The per capita disposable incomes of urban and rural residents have increased by an average of 5.3% and 8.1%annually, respectively. Better employment has created better lives. By improving its fair employment policy system and labor rights protection mechanisms, Xinjiang has safeguarded the legitimate rights and interests of workers, helped people with the ability to work secure employment, and ensured voluntary employment and decent work for people of all ethnic groups to the greatest extent possible.

Thank you.