China denies forced labour claims after prisoner’s message is found in Tesco supermarket Christmas card
- Spokesman for foreign ministry in Beijing insists story was ‘made up’ by Peter Humphrey, a Briton who spent 23 months in Chinese prisons
- British media reported that a six-year-old girl had found a message pleading for help in Christmas card from the retail giant
China denied allegations that foreign prisoners were being used as forced labour after media reports that a British girl had found a plea for help in a Christmas card.
The Sunday Times reported over the weekend that a six-year-old girl in London had found a message in a Christmas card bought from a Tesco supermarket apparently written by a prisoner who said they were forced to work against their will.
But China’s foreign ministry insisted the report had been “made up” by Peter Humphrey, a former journalist who was imprisoned in China six years ago.
“I have read the reports by British media, all made up by Mr Peter Humphrey,” Geng Shuang, the foreign ministry spokesman, said on Monday.
“I can tell you responsibly that, after seeking clarification from relevant departments, there is no situation at all of forced labour by foreign prisoners in Shanghai Qingpu Prison,” Geng said.