Ongoing Trafficking in China

By: Gabie Hart

In June of 2007, China discovered itself to be in the midst of a scandal after child slavery was discovered in a brick kiln. Over 500 children and mentally handicapped individuals were forced into horrific conditions, were they were forced to work 18 hours a day and were beaten if they tried to escape.1

The slave labor was discovered after approximately 400 parents of children who suspected they have been kidnapped published a letter on the Internet. The letter led to interest and by June 13 a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party expressed concerns and police action soon followed.2

The most recent incident of human trafficking involved the Chinese Police breaking up a baby trafficking ring. The baby trafficking ring was discovered when police began an operation in May after they had questioned four women who were on a train, each of whom was holding a baby.3 Apparently the women admitted to buying the babies and their intent to sell them to someone else. Authorities have since arrested 10 suspects in two provinces.4

The police were able to rescue 40 of the 60 babies who had been trafficked.5 Apparently, this is an ongoing issue, where babies are being stolen or bought from poor families and then sold to couples who want another child, a servant or a future bride for a son.6

Recently, China has announced that they plan on setting up a panel to help target and combat the human trafficking that has been occurring in their country. The panel will be comprised of 21 government ministries.7

Forced labor is just one of the human trafficking conditions China needs to address. China also is facing human trafficking issues due to gender imbalance, whereby women and children are sold into marriage or trafficked for sexual slavery.8 Babies, especially girls, are sometimes unwanted by families due to the gender inequality that exists in China.

Back in 2005 China fell from “Tier 2” to “Tier 2 Watch Status” in the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report for 2005.9 The difference between the two tiers apparently is that they differ in that a country that falls within the “Tier 2” level is demonstrating a commitment to address their problems but they have not yet achieved international standards, whereas “Tier 2 Watch List” means that a county might be vulnerable to an erosion of their efforts.10

China will continue to be under international pressure, especially with the 2008 Olympics, which are set to be held in Beijing, are fast approaching. This added pressure will hopefully lead to quick, swift and juste action that will be taken to stop and prevent human trafficking in China.

Sources:

1. Simon Elegant, Slave Labor in China Sparks Outrage, Time, June 20 2007, available at http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1635144,00.html.
2. Id.
3. Associated Press, China Police Break Baby Trafficking Ring, Wash. Post., Sept. 7, 2007, available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/07/AR2007090701394.html .
4. Id.
5. Id.
6. Id.
7. Reuters, China targets human trafficking after kiln scandal, Wash. Post, Sept. 3, 2007, available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/03/AR2007090301511.html .
8. Id.
9. Jane Morse, Human Trafficking a Huge Problem for China U.S. Officials Say: Greater need for prevention, protection and prosecution, Mar 7, 2006, available at http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/Archive/2006/Mar/08-981845.html
10. Id.