Mayor blasted by rival on China pension link

LONDON Mayor Sadiq Khan faced questions last night over his administration’s investments in a Chinese company linked to Beijing’s oppression of its minority populations.

The pension fund operated by Transport for London has placed more than £25 million with Tencent, a Chinese technology company that the UN has accused of involvement in covert surveillance and censorship on behalf of the Communist regime.

Tencent is said to be aiding and abetting China’s expansive surveillance state and strict censorship of its own citizens using covert technology to spy on the persecuted Uighur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang province who have been forced to pick cotton, have abortions and renounce their faith. The authorities have detained more than a million Uighur Muslims in indoctrination camps. Some critics have accused China of genocide.

Last night, the investment was attacked by Mr Khan’s Tory rival in the 2021 mayoral elections, Shaun Bailey, who said he was ‘outraged’. Mr Bailey, who recently called for London and Beijing to be ‘detwinned’ over its treatment of the Uighurs and Hong Kong protesters, said London was ‘a global city with global responsibilities’, so ‘when the Chinese government arrests Hong Kong protesters and commits genocide against the Uighur Muslims, it’s our duty to act’.

He added: ‘Our Mayor should be sending out the message that London won’t tolerate human rights abuses. Instead, he’s sending the message that London will not only stay quiet about human rights abuses, we will invest in companies that facilitate human rights abuses, including forced abortion, sterilisation, slavery and imprisonment.’

The money invested in Tencent Holdings is part of TfL’s gold-plated pension scheme, which offers 31 per cent contributions to staff – twice the amount that NHS workers get. Mr Bailey, who is aiming to become the first Tory London Mayor since Boris Johnson, has made Mr Khan’s stewardship of TfL one of the key focuses of his campaign, accusing him of chalking up nearly £10 billion of ‘wasteful spending’ at the body, which runs the Tube and bus network, and of planning to claw back the money from motorists through road tolls.

The United Nations recently cancelled a commercial deal with Tencent after a backlash. Last night, a Tencent spokesman said its mission was ‘to create platforms for users to connect and communicate openly. Tencent is guided by local laws related to internet content, and we comply with all regulations and laws in countries and markets in which we operate’.

A spokesman for Mr Khan said: ‘The Mayor completely condemns the horrific human rights abuses against the Uighur population by the Chinese government and continues to support the UK Government and international communities’ efforts to challenge the Chinese authorities.

‘The Mayor has no control whatsoever over investment decisions made by TfL’s pension fund. These decisions are made by pension fund trustees, who are independent of TfL and the Mayor.’

A source added: ‘London is not “twinned” with Beijing or any other city. Previous Mayors of London have signed a number of partnership agreements with major cities around the world.’

The Mayor is sending out a message that he will stay quiet about human rights abuses SHAUN BAILEY