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Tuesday 27 June 2017
AP sources: May details post-
Brexit plans for
US to say China among worst on human trafficking EU citizens in UK

By JOSH LEDERMAN its “watch list” of coun- transit country” for forced national Monetary Fund
MATTHEW LEE tries that aren’t meeting labor and sex trafficking. and World Bank. Officials LONDON (AP) — British
Associated Press minimum standards and That report described in- from countries designated Prime Minister Theresa May
WASHINGTON (AP) — The could be downgraded to ternal migrants in China in that tier can be barred tried Monday to reassure
Trump administration is the lowest classification. as particularly vulnerable, from participating in U.S. European Union citizens liv-
poised to declare China ing in Britain that their lives
among the world’s worst and those of their family will
offenders on human traf- not be disrupted when Brit-
ficking, U.S. officials said ain leaves the EU in 2019.
Monday, putting the She told Parliament that
world’s most populous steps will be taken to make
country in the same cat- sure the split with the EU
egory as North Korea, Zim- is handled with care with
babwe and Syria, regard to the estimated 3
China’s downgrade is to be million EU citizens living in-
announced Tuesday at the side Britain. She said Britain
State Department when wants them to stay after
Secretary of State Rex Tiller- Brexit.
son unveils the annual Traf- “No families will be split
ficking in Persons Report to up,” she said, adding that
Congress, said the officials, family dependants who
who weren’t authorized to move to Britain to join an
comment publicly ahead EU citizen living here would
of the announcement and be able to apply for “set-
demanded anonymity. tled” status after five years.
Ivanka Trump, the presi- That will be the term used
dent’s daughter and senior for EU citizens who meet
adviser, planned to attend the five-year rule.
the ceremony. May says they will be en-
The determination marks Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appears at news conference at the State Department in Washing- titled to full U.K. health and
the first major, public re- ton, Wednesday, June 21, 2017. The Trump administration is poised to declare China among the pension benefits.
buke of China’s human world’s worst offenders on human trafficking, U.S. officials said Monday, June 26, 2017, putting the “After the U.K. has left the
rights record by the Trump world’s most populous country in the same category as North Korea, Zimbabwe and Syria. China’s European Union, EU citi-
administration, which has downgrade is to be announced Tuesday, June 27, 2017, at the State Department when Tillerson zens with settled status will
unveils the annual Trafficking in Persons Report to Congress.
generally avoided direct, (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) be able to bring family
public criticism of Beijing The U.S. described China with some forced to work members from overseas on
while seeking its coopera- as devoting “sufficient re- with little government over- government educational the same terms as British
tion in combating North sources” to a written plan sight in factories and coal and cultural exchange nationals,” she said.
Korea’s nuclear and missile for addressing trafficking. mines. It said men, women programs. However, the She said her plans mean
threats. The report is likely But it said that the Asian and children from other president retains the au- that no one from the EU
to draw strong protest from power hadn’t increased its Asian countries and from thority to waive the sanc- who is now in Britain law-
China’s communist gov- anti-trafficking efforts from Africa also are exploited. tions in U.S. national inter- fully will be made to leave
ernment. the previous year. The report also raised con- est or if the penalties could when Brexit happens.
China will be listed under It wasn’t immediately clear cerns about forced beg- adversely affect vulner- The prime minister said this
“Tier 3,” the ranking sys- what changes are lead- ging in China that particu- able populations. In prac- offer will be dependent on
tem’s lowest category, ing the Trump administra- larly affects children. It said tice, countries given the British citizens in the 27 oth-
which applies to countries tion to downgrade China that girls and women from worst designation have of- er EU countries receiving
failing to meet minimum to the lowest tier. The State rural areas are at higher risk ten been granted waivers the same treatment from
standards to prevent hu- Department declined to of being recruited for sex under previous U.S. admin- those countries.
man trafficking or making confirm the designation or trafficking in cities. istrations. Rep. Chris Smith, “Our offer will give those 3
significant improvement to comment ahead of the Countries placed in Tier R-N.J., one of several law- million EU citizens in the U.K.
efforts. Other countries report’s release Tuesday, 3 can be penalized with makers who had pressed certainty about the future
that have recently been saying it “does not discuss sanctions, including the the Trump administration to of their lives and a recipro-
on that list include Sudan, details of internal delibera- withholding of non-hu- downgrade China, praised cal agreement will provide
Iran and Haiti. tions.” In the 2016 report, manitarian aid and assis- the move but urged the the same certainty for the
In last year’s annual report, the U.S. called China a tance that could affect administration to follow more than 1 million citi-
the U.S. placed China on through by imposing sanc- zens living in the European
“source, destination and agreements with the Inter- tions. q Union,” she said.
May was elaborating on
Top Russian, US diplomats discuss Syria cease-fire proposals made last week
during a summit of EU lead-
ers. She said she wants to
MOSCOW (AP) — The top Monday about the need ment forces battling terror- lamic State group. resolve the issue early in
diplomats of Russia and to secure a cease-fire in ists.” Russia warned its military the two-year Brexit nego-
the United States have fo- Syria, fight extremist groups Moscow reacted angrily would track aircraft from tiations to ease anxiety for
cused on the Syrian crisis in and to prevent the use of when the U.S. downed a the U.S.-led coalition as EU citizens living in Britain.
a phone call. chemical weapons. Syrian jet last week after it potential targets over Syria EU officials had said the
The Russian Foreign Ministry It added that Lavrov dropped bombs near the and suspended a hotline proposals were a reason-
says Foreign Minister Sergey “urged Washington to take U.S.-backed Syrian Demo- intended to avoid mid-air able first step but fell short
Lavrov and U.S. Secretary steps to prevent provoca- cratic Forces conducting incidents.q
of State Rex Tillerson talked tions against Syrian govern- operations against the Is- of expectations. q