Officials: U.S. to say China one of worst on human trafficking

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is poised to declare China among the world’s worst offenders on human trafficking, U.S. officials said Monday, putting the world’s most populous country in the same category as North Korea, Zimbabwe and Syria.

China’s downgrade is to be announced Tuesday at the State Department when Secretary of State Rex Tillerson unveils the annual Trafficking in Persons Report to Congress, said the officials, who weren’t authorized to comment publicly ahead of the announcement and demanded anonymity.

The determination marks the first major, public rebuke of China’s human rights record by the Trump administration, which has generally avoided direct, public criticism of Beijing while seeking its cooperation in combating North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. The report is likely to draw strong protest from China’s government.

China will be listed under “Tier 3,” the lowest category, which applies to countries failing to meet minimum standards to prevent human trafficking or making significant improvement efforts.

In last year’s annual report, the U.S. placed China on its “watch list” of countries that aren’t meeting minimum standards and could be downgraded to the lowest classification.

It wasn’t immediately clear what changes are leading the Trump administration to downgrade China to the lowest tier.

Countries placed in Tier 3 can be penalized with sanctions, including the withholding of non-humanitarian aid.

However, the president retains the authority to waive the sanctions in U.S. national interest or if the penalties could adversely affect vulnerable populations.