HK slams 'false, unfounded' US human trafficking report

Alysha Bibi

Hong Kong has "vehemently opposed" a US move downgrading the city in its latest anti-human trafficking report, calling the accusations on trafficked foreign domestic helpers "false and unfounded."

The rebuttal came after the United States' State Department released its 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report on Monday, which saw Hong Kong downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List from Tier 2, one tier down from the second tier to the third tier of the four-tiered scale.

In the report, the US slammed Hong Kong, saying foreign domestic helpers remained at a high risk of trafficking and that local authorities failed to take adequate measures in victim identification and protection efforts.

Although SAR authorities have screened thousands of vulnerable persons for trafficking, they only managed to identify three victims, down from the previous reporting period that identified 32 victims, according to the US report.

The report also mentioned that the government "did not provide services to any victims," highlighting a shortage of interpretation services, among other problems.

The SAR yesterday said it "vehemently opposes and firmly rejects the unfounded and false remarks in the report," calling the report findings "groundless...unfair, misconceived and not substantiated by facts."

It added: "There has never been any sign Hong Kong is being actively used by syndicates as a destination or transit point for trafficking in persons. It is baseless and unfair to cast doubt on our determination in combating trafficking in persons and the quality of our screenings merely because of the low number of the victims identified."

Some 11,000 initial screenings of persons vulnerable to trafficking were conducted in 2023, up 45 percent from the year before, officials added.

Authorities also reiterated the city's continuous efforts in combating human trafficking activities.

"The foreign domestic helpers' division of the Labour Department, for example, provides comprehensive support to foreign domestic helpers, aiding them in seeking assistance from relevant enforcement authorities," authorities said.

"Just last month, the department even tightened its Code of Practice for Employment Agencies to enhance the protection for foreign domestic helpers."