Washington, Jan 25 : US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo to confront repression during his four-day visit to China, beginning on Sunday.

In a statement, HRW stated: "Orpoâ??s visit is more than a diplomatic engagement; it is a test of whether Finland can navigate between two major powers while defending its own core interests, which should include a defence of democratic values and human rights."

His visit to China comes after recent visits by leaders from Ireland, Sweden, France, Germany, and Canada, focusing on trade and investment, while human rights concerns receive little more than symbolic mention. This renewed engagement showcases how nations are hoping to diversify economic relationships and reduce dependence on the United States.

In a statement, HRW stated: "But if democratic backsliding and coercive politics from the Trump administration are causing unease, aligning more closely with an openly authoritarian China should provoke even stronger alarm across Europe."

"Finlandâ??s Joint Action Plan with China (2025â??2029) exemplifies this imbalance. It outlines ambitious cooperation on innovation, green technology, and trade, with only vague references to human rights. This approach ignores the growing ways in which Chinaâ??s repression affects Finland directly," it added.

In the statement, HRW accused China of being one of the "worldâ??s most abusive, both at home and abroad". China's ongoing crimes against humanity in Xinjiang include arbitrary detention, pervasive surveillance, and forced labour of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims, according to the statement.

HRW further stated: "This poses problems for Finnish industries. Finlandâ??s clean energy and tech sectors risk exposure to tainted supply chains, even with the European Union regulation prohibiting forced labour imports scheduled to take effect in late 2027. Chinaâ??s labour rights abuses extend well beyond Xinjiang. Its low-rights development model has helped drive a global race to the bottom in labour rights, contributing to localised job losses that fuel resentment and populism in Europe and the United States."

HRW alleged that people in Hong Kong fear long prison sentences for criticising the government, while religious and cultural rights remain under attack in Tibet. Furthermore, it accused China of suppressing dissent by targeting activists who live abroad, including in Europe.

/IANS