For years, human rights groups have been urging world leaders to hold China accountable for its alleged human rights abuses
There have been numerous reports of human rights abuses within China, but no clear way of holding the country to account.
In particular, reports of abuse against the Uyghur population in the Xinjiang province have sparked global concerns.
The UN Human Rights office released a report highlighting the brutality of abuse against muslim minorities in China.
“Allegations of patterns of torture, or ill-treatment, including forced medical treatment and adverse conditions of detention, are credible, as are allegations of individual incidents of sexual and gender-based violence.”
Michelle bachelet – un high commissioner of human rights
The damning report confirms what human rights groups have been concerned about for years. It details victims accounts of “detention, torture, cultural persecution and forced labor.”
While, the UN Human Rights Office says it’s committed to supporting China to address the issues evident in the report, other groups say immediate action is required.
Non-governmental organisation, Human Rights Watch, is calling on Australia to join other leading nations in making Chinese crimes against humanity punishable.
Following the release of a groundbreaking United Nations report, there is now further evidence that the Chinese government is committing crimes against humanity in Xinjiang.
The organisation wants to see China exposed to sanctions, starting with legislation to prevent the import of any goods made with forced labor.
The group wants businesses, states and the international community to take action.
Holding China accountable
While the reports of China’s abuse in the Xinjiang region are horrific, world leaders seem to be finding it difficult to hold the communist country accountable. It raises questions about where accountability comes from and how it is policed.
Human Rights Watch want the Australian Government to move in line with other leading nations like the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada to target China’s behaviour.
They want businesses to stop importing goods that are manufactured through forced labor, and a new legislation in place to enforce it.
However, thousands of Australian businesses rely heavily on China’s manufacturing hubs.
For some, they’re the backbone of their survival. So is it fair or realistic to put this expectation and responsibility on Australian business owners?
“Is it realistic that in the year 2022 we want to import goods from political prisoners?
Political prisoners who are locked up for no other reason other than they are muslim.”
sophie mcneill – human rights watch
However, the level of complexity attached to a problem shouldn’t justify turning a blind eye to it.
Australia lagging behind
The EU, US, UK and Canada have all made significant efforts to tackle China’s alleged human rights abuses.
They have taken a stand by implementing acts and legislation to deter China’s behaviour. The United States, for example, has the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which provides customs authorities increased powers to enforce bans on imports from forced labor.
This has many wondering why Australia hasn’t taken any concrete action to condemn China’s human rights abuses.
Tensions between Australia and China have been at an all time high since Australia moved to investigate the origins of the coronavirus.
Some say Australia is concerned for the repercussions and consequences of holding China accountable on the global stage.
“We’ve been calling on the Australian Government to take action for years now… We’ve run out of excuses. Now is the time to act.”
Sophie Mcneill- Human Rights watch
Does China care about sanctions?
As a communist country, China has shown time and time again that it does not mind being an outlier on the global stage.
Some say that targeted sanctions will not deter or stop the abuse against ethnic minorities. While others say if a coalition of countries band together to call out the abuse, then it is more likely to have a real impact.
Double standards
Many countries around the world has or has had reports of human rights abuses in one way or another.
Soon, Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which in largely known for its human rights abuses. In particular, there have been reports of human rights abuses during the construction of the stadiums required for the cup.
However, all of the countries who are now taking a stand against China are heading to the world cup. It raises questions of hypocrisy and whether leading Governments are selecting who they hold accountable based on their own political rhetoric.
Are world leaders picking and choosing where justice falls?
“Governments do pick and choose and that hinders our ability to hold China accountable.”
Analysts and investors are eagerly awaiting Elon Musk’s big reveal—a fully functional autonomous vehicle that could revolutionise ride-hailing.
Tesla’s stock has soared 52% since Musk first announced the event in April, reflecting high hopes for the launch of its much-anticipated robotaxi.
The vehicle, dubbed the “Cybercab,” is said to be a sleek, two-seater without a steering wheel or pedals—straight out of the future.
Tesla also teased a ride-hailing app that will summon these driverless cars to pick up riders at their chosen locations.
Not convincing
But not everyone is convinced—some analysts warn that while Musk’s vision is bold, the timeline for these innovations may not deliver immediate results.
Musk has a history of overpromising on autonomous tech, and this event might be more about grand ideas than tangible products.
Tesla first floated the robotaxi idea in 2016, with Musk hinting at a future where owners could lease their cars to others for extra income.
If the software keeps pace with Musk’s ambitions, the future of driverless Teslas might be closer than we think.
The core consumer price index (CPI) climbed 3.3% year-over-year in September, signalling continued inflationary pressure in the U.S.
Month-over-month, the increase was 0.3%, slightly higher than the expected 0.2%, raising concerns about the Federal Reserve’s ability to ease policy.
This latest inflation data narrows the Fed’s room to manoeuvre, making a significant rate cut at their next meeting less likely.
In other economic news, weekly U.S. unemployment claims have risen to 258,000.
Latest numbers
Ticker’s Ahron Young spoke with Steve Gopalan from SkandaFX about the latest numbers.
Steve Gopalan discusses the impact of rising unemployment claims, inflation, and geopolitical tensions on the market, including the potential effects of Israeli strikes on Iran and China’s policies.
He also addresses expectations for the Fed reserve rate cut and near-term risks affecting the Australian economy and talks about how traders are preparing for China’s Finance Minister news conference on fiscal policy.
The increase in claims is partly attributed to the impact of Hurricane Helene and furloughs at Boeing.
Economists are closely watching how these factors will play into broader economic trends.
With inflation rising and unemployment numbers fluctuating, the economic outlook remains uncertain.
Tehran is threatening to target oil-rich Gulf states and other U.S. allies if their territories are used in any attack on Iran, Arab officials reveal.
Israel has warned Tehran of severe consequences after a recent barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles hit the country. In response, Iran vows to strike Israel’s civilian infrastructure and any Arab state that aids in the assault.
Countries like Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have already expressed concerns to the Biden administration, saying they don’t want to be part of any offensive actions against Iran.
These Gulf states, traditionally under U.S. protection, fear Iran could target their vital oil facilities if the conflict escalates.
With U.S. troops stationed across the region, officials are on high alert as Tehran’s threats loom over an area packed with American military personnel.
Tensions between Israel and Iran continue to rise, with both sides exchanging warnings of devastating consequences.
The energy-rich Persian Gulf, known for its stability under U.S. protection, could now be at risk as the situation remains tense.
The eyes of the world are focused on the region, as threats of conflict keep mounting.
