China’s top legislature has ratified two International Labour Organization (ILO) treaties on forced labour, amid accusations of mistreatment against mostly Uygur workers in its far-western Xinjiang region.

[O]n Wednesday, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee said it had approved the ratification of the ILO’s Forced Labour Convention, and the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention.The two conventions, No 29 and 105, are among eight fundamental ILO conventions covering basic work rights, including collective bargaining and the right to form trade unions.

[...]

Convention No 29 is primarily directed at stopping private forced labour, including human trafficking, slavery and servitude. [...]No 105 [...] requires member states to [...] stop using forced labour as a means of “racial, social, national or religious discrimination”.

China has repeatedly denied accusations of labour abuses in Xinjiang, saying the charges were politically motivated and not based on facts. Western countries, led by the US, have imposed a wide range of sanctions on China for the alleged abuses.

China’s decision to ratify the conventions came ahead of a visit to the country next month by UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet.

It also came more than a year after China and the European Union ended seven years of talks on the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment [...] that included an agreement that Beijing would ratify the ILO’s fundamental conventions on forced labour.

The ILO welcomed China’s decision. [T]he UN agency said: “By approving these ratifications, China reinforces its commitment to eliminate all forms of forced labour within its jurisdiction, [...] and respect the ILO’s fundamental principles and rights at work.” […]

According to Xinhua, the Chinese lawmakers on Wednesday also voted to adopt a law on futures and derivatives, to take effect in August, and a revised Vocational Education Law, which will be in force from next month.