Labour backtracks on push for China genocide ruling

Labour has backtracked on plans to push for formal recognition of China's treatment of the Uyghurs as genocide in the run-up to David Lammy's trip to the country this weekend.

- Eleni Courea

The foreign secretary is expected to arrive in Beijing today for high-level meetings before travelling to Shanghai tomorrow.

The trip marks a shift in the government's approach to China, with ministers seeking to improve engagement and build closer economic ties. Trade between the UK and China is worth £110bn a year.

Senior government figures are bullish about their approach, pointing out that allies including the US and the EU have maintained engagement with China in recent years while the UK has fallen behind.

As part of this rapprochement, Labour has dropped its tough stance towards Beijing over its treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority.

China has detained Uyghurs at camps in the Xinjiang region, where for years there have been allegations of torture, forced labour and sexual abuse. The Chinese government claims the camps carry out "re-education" to combat terrorism.

The European parliament passed an emergency resolution this week censuring China's repression of the Uyghurs and calling for the release of detainees.